


Until the tide changes

by stranger12



Series: Not one for secrecy [2]
Category: The OC
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Family Drama, Long Lost/Secret Relatives
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-13
Updated: 2017-08-30
Packaged: 2018-09-08 08:48:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 40
Words: 52,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8838166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stranger12/pseuds/stranger12
Summary: [A series of snapshots] Ryan tries to adjust to the O.C. and his newfound family





	1. Do or do not

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan and the Cohens

To say that his life had a taken a sharp turn the moment he stepped into the Cohen household was a severe understatement. Seth would surely have a much more florid way of putting it, but Ryan thought it was good enough.

Seth, his nephew (although Kirsten gently told him he might be willing to see the hyperactive boy as something of a brother, since they were the same age, and that was weird even by Chino standards), Sandy, his public defender and teasing brother–in–law, and finally Kirsten, his soft spoken, food pusher big sister, whose hugs he quickly started to crave even though he tried to shy away from them every time (sometimes she succeeded in her quest to squeeze the broodiness out of him, sometimes he managed to escape her ‘mom claws’, as Seth flippantly put it while Sandy giggled at her pouts).

He had yet to speak, much less see the infamous Caleb Nichol, though he heard plenty about him anyway. He was a bully, Sandy stage whispered, his face would crack if he tried to smile, Seth mocked, and Kirsten said nothing about him; Ryan appreciated it, because he didn’t think he had much to say about the man who apparently could still remember his mother but had no desire to get to know his only son.

“Eh, you’ve got us now, man” – Seth tried to cheer him up – “You’re a Cohen, it’s way better than being a Nichol, just ask mom, we’re the fun family”

“Yeah, we Cohens? We even barbecue!” – Sandy exclaimed, preparing some food for the grill.

“Nichols order in, I’m afraid” – Kirsten piped up, smiling over her glass of wine.

“Too true. Do you cook?”

“I... Just a little, nothing fancy” – Ryan shrugged, still uncertain about himself even after almost a week with them.

“Well, that’s better than these two” – Sandy pointed a knife at his son and wife, who rolled their eyes in unison – “They would starve without me, or get severely fat from all the takeout they would get”

“Don’t forget the ice cream” – Seth had named it the family food after Ryan’s first night at the Cohen residence, and Ryan quietly thought the same thing, though he would never say it out loud.

“Oh no, please, I can’t have anymore” – Kirsten moaned – “How you boys manage to eat so much ice cream and not get sick, I’ll never understand”

“It’s not for you to understand, mom, it’s for you to provide your young” – she threw him a look but even Ryan could see the affection in her eyes – “Hey, dude, wanna go sailing tomorrow?”

“Sure”

“Ah, the Summer Breeze” – Sandy commented knowingly, and Seth glared at him as Kirsten laughed discreetly.

“Is that... The name of your boat?” – Ryan questioned slowly.

“Oh yes” – Sandy butted in as Seth sputtered – “After his longtime crush, Summer Roberts. Pretty, pretty girl that one”

“Really?” – Ryan tried to say it as flatly as possible, but Seth gasped and pointed a finger at him.

“J’accuse! Traitor! Don’t take his side!”

“It’s true enough” – Kirsten mumbled, leaning close to Ryan, who this time couldn’t hide his amusement. Seth snorted and stomped his feet, but he didn’t leave, which Ryan felt was wise, because he did not think Sandy or Kirsten would be kind enough to call him to eat if he left in a huff.

“So, Summer, huh?”

“Dude! No, no! Not in front of THEM!”

“THEM who know all about Summer” – Sandy pointed out obnoxiously, but it was so gentle, so friendly, that Ryan was amazed.

“We do, sweetie” – Kirsten said, none too kindly – “You’ll enjoy yourself tomorrow, I’m sure” – she told Ryan, clearly trying to cut her kid some slack – “Name aside, Seth’s boat is very nice, and we have been having nice weather these days”

“Perfect for sailing out sea” – Seth quickly agreed, seemingly glad for the subject change. Sandy shook his head as he motioned for everyone to help him carry the food to the grill.

Sandy was a good cook, Ryan had to admit, and he only felt a little guilty at eating such expensive food, though everyone else was enjoying themselves without a thought to how pricy everything was. Then again, he kind of knew they would revolt if he even tried to comment on it. Sandy was ever so flippant about the price of things, from his car to the house to the fancy ice cream and vegetables, and Seth and Kirsten had been born with a silver spoon, as Sandy dryly (but sweetly) said sometimes, so they also didn’t understand that all Ryan could think about was how much food he could’ve bought with what they were spent on a single meal, how many days worth of bread and milk he could’ve gotten with the price of the meat alone.

He forced himself not to think about what his brother was being made to consume in jail, or what his mother could possibly be eating, wherever she was. Sandy had been gentle about it, saying he was searching for Dawn, however Ryan could tell he had little to no desire to actually find her and deliver Ryan back to her. If not for the legalities of his continued stay at the Cohens, the teenager wondered if anyone would bother trying to track her down.

Probably not. Kirsten never said a bad word against Dawn in Ryan’s presence, though it wasn’t hard to guess what she really thought about her, the woman his father had cheated his mother with, the mother of her half–brother, Seth always seemed willing and all too happy to pretend like Ryan had appeared at the Cohens, having left nothing and no one behind, and Sandy just smile reassuringly when the subject of the Atwood family came about.

“So, kid, we, ah, we wanted to talk to you about something” – Sandy started once they’d eaten most of the food. Kirsten looked on at Ryan with concerned eyes, and Seth seemed to sense something in his parents’ tense frames – “So, Caleb wanted to come over tomorrow. To... Talk”

“Oh” – Ryan thought about looking away, but he met Kirsten and Sandy head on – “Okay. Should I–?”

“If you don’t want to talk to him, you don’t have to” – Kirsten was quick to say – “Trust me, I’m still pretty angry at him myself” – and she looked pretty pissed at him, though it appeared to have morphed into something hard and cold instead of explosive and violent as when Ryan first came into the picture.

“Why does he want to come over anyway?” – Seth demanded.

“He wants to–” – Sandy cut himself off and looked at Ryan then Kirsten – “He wants to discuss the situation”

“The situation? What situation? That he has a kid he never even mentioned?” – Seth asked almost bitterly – “That he left in fu–” – at Kirsten’s sharp look, he stopped and shut up.

“Yes, all of that” – Sandy said softly, carefully, and Ryan could feel the way he was trying to discern his feelings, but the teen had long learned how to mask his true feelings when necessary. One didn’t need to grow up in the O.C. to acquire such a skill, though Kirsten was pretty good at it too.

It suddenly hit Ryan that he looked an awful lot like her when they were both quietly fuming and holding back their anger in. From the way Seth frowned confusedly between the two blonds, Ryan could only guess the family resemblance was more noticeable than normal, given their similar coloring.

“It’s okay” – Ryan finally said when everyone stopped talking for what felt like a good while – “What time is he coming?”

“Er... For dinner, I think”

“Okay. Should I wear something in particular?”

“No, no, whatever you have is fine...” – Sandy looked at Kirsten, who nodded.

“Well, sweetie, I fear you already have plans for today” – she announced.

“I do?”

“We are going shopping” – Seth gasped and instantly stifled a sudden chuckle. Sandy also looked amused as Ryan grimaced.

“Do we have to?” – he asked dejectedly, already knowing the answer.

Kirsten just smiled. He had never had a big sister, but he had seen a similar expression on Trey’s face growing up to know what that meant.

“I guess we’re going shopping” – he said to no one in particular.

Sandy smacked Seth in the head when he couldn’t stop giggling.


	2. Whatever the issue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kirsten and Ryan

Kirsten watched as Ryan walked around the racks looking terrified at the saleswoman trying to push everything and anything at him. He looked at Kirsten with a concerned expression, and she stopped daydreaming in order to assist him.

For a moment, she wondered if this was what having an obliging son was like, because Seth had always been difficult, in one way or another, and preferred to go out with Sandy rather than her. Ryan, on the other hand, seemed fine with going around with her, though she supposed his problems weren’t because he was accompanying his– His sister, but the simple fact that they were supposed to shop for him.

She wanted to grab him and sob, ask for forgiveness because their father was such a– And Ryan had had to grow up without knowing a simple pleasure like looking at clothes and having a wide variety of choices at his fingertips. Kirsten had cried in Sandy’s shoulder a few times since Ryan came to live with them, and some of them had been over the little things that made it entirely clear that the boy had grown up rough, and not only because he didn’t have money. The lack of money she could ignore, of course not everyone had as much money as a Nichol (Sandy was an easy example), but the hesitant manner that Ryan moved at times, the way he looked afraid to refuse or contradict any of the Cohens...

“Ma’am?” – the saleswoman called out, and Kirsten smiled automatically.

“Yes?”

“Is there a price point we should stick to?” – she could see the glimmer of detached greed in her eyes, and it made Kirsten’s stomach roll. Nearby, Ryan stood awkwardly, scratching his neck and not touching anything else.

“Absolutely not” – Kirsten said firmly, reaching out and putting a hand on Ryan’s shoulder – “He needs a whole new wardrobe, so I’m afraid we are going to be in your hands for a while”

“No problems, ma’am. Now, shall we start with shirts?”

At Kirsten’s numerous urgings, Ryan accepted Jane the saleswoman’s help in picking out pieces for him to (reluctantly) try out. Kirsten cooed over him every time he came out of the dressing room, shyly looking down but smiling almost like he couldn’t help it when she grinned reassuringly.

Later, she would rage at Sandy at how a boy as sweet as Ryan could have grown up so used to no one giving him compliments that he took everything Kirsten gave him hungrily, as if afraid she would start berating him, mocking him for being so eager to please and accept whatever scrap of affection she threw her way. Sandy would hold her and whisper they would just need to work that much harder on Ryan until he was as dismissive of their love and support as Seth was (he would say teasingly).

For the moment, she enjoyed Ryan’s embarrassment at Jane thrusting arms full of clothes at him (after he yelped at her marching into the dressing room while he was still in his underwear, which was not appropriate, but Kirsten could appreciate the way the woman pushed Ryan into trying out things Kirsten wouldn’t think to get and Ryan just wouldn’t say he could possibly want to even touch), and looked him over, and marveled at how he started to peep out of his shell more and more, and she wistfully watched on as he started to look and act more and more like the kind of baby brother she wanted to have when she was a kid, kind, bashful, handsome and appreciative of her pampering (because pamper him she did).

“How about we go out to dinner after this? Just us” – she proposed as he tried not to squirm as Jane hummed and circled him like a shark, looking for imperfections in his possible new suit (off the rack for the moment, but Kirsten was sure that unlike Seth, he would be willing to stand for a tailor some time).

“Er, sure?” – he said slowly, deflating when Jane more said than asked that it wasn’t the right one just yet and should she get him more options.

“It’s a date” – Kirsten said, smiling as he flushed and mumbled before escaping to the dressing room.

Jane soon followed, and Kirsten felt a little bad for Ryan, but they had to squeeze years worth of brother/sister shopping into one go, it was bound to be painful. She wondered if she could persuade him to hit other stores later, surely there was more she could impose on him, maybe a TV for the room she was preparing beside Seth’s, or a gaming device of some kind, DVD player... Books? He was such a smart boy.

“Kirsten?” – Ryan said, and he sounded perfectly lost. Looking over, Jane was dutifully holding a number of ties and putting them over his collar.

“We’ll take all of them” – she announced, and she tried to ignore Ryan’s slight wince.

It would be hard work, but she knew she would eventually be able to convince him that whatever she was spending on him was well worth it. She was his big sister, after all, and why should she not spoil him rotten? He deserved every penny, and she was going to make sure he understood it, if it killed her.


	3. Setting the table

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seth, the Cohens and Caleb

“I’m not the only one feeling awkward, am I?” – Seth asked dryly, and only Sandy reacted, snorting softly and shaking his head. Ryan continued playing with the food on his plate, looking at it dejectedly, Kirsten drank her wine and glared at Caleb, who had wisely remained quiet since his daughter gave him something of a tongue lashing some minutes prior.

Not that Seth blamed her, of course. Sure, he loved his grandfather, but he was a douchebag in general, and the recent discovery of his illegitimate son had not done anything to erase that image, then when you added the fact that he had shown up to dinner expecting Kirsten to be okay with him because why wouldn’t she, and greeting Ryan like he had been there the entire time only made Seth wonder how come Ryan and his mom were so smart, ‘cause Caleb wasn’t showcasing any particular higher intelligence. Or any intelligence, for that matter.

Sandy rushed to smooth things over afterwards, but by then, Kirsten was already even madder at Caleb, and Ryan had retreated back into his shell in the time that it took Caleb to express his peacock, egocentric pride at how much he looked like him when he was younger.

“Ryan, sweetie, would you like some more chicken?” – Kirsten gently questioned, breaking the silence that fell over them after Seth’s question.

“No, thank you” – he answered quietly, and his plate was still pretty full. She frowned in concern and refused to look at Caleb.

“You should eat more” – he commented gruffly, and Ryan tensed – “Growing boy like you–”

“We’re having ice cream for dessert!” – Sandy loudly cut him off.

“All flavors possible” – Seth added, looking at his grandfather head on – “It’s a family thing”

“Oh” – Caleb said briefly, eyes flickering from the fuming Kirsten to the stiff Ryan.

Seth traded looks with his father, sitting across from him, and he doubted the man had much more up his sleeve but yelling out about ice cream and newly established family traditions that maybe were a bit of a minefield, or at least Caleb’s stare at Ryan told Seth it might be. But then, what did the man know, his mom never mentioned many Nichol family traditions, at least of the warm and sweet kind.

He suddenly felt something heavy at the pit of his stomach, like– Like– Huh, he didn’t know what it felt like, he had never quite felt it before, except–

Ah, right, he did kind of know what it was about, he remembered when his dad broke it to him that he had an uncle who was his age, he remembered the blind rage he felt at the thought of his mom finding out something so unforgivable, because she worshipped Caleb, and for all his faults, Seth thought she always considered him a good enough husband, and then for him to have cheated on his dead wife, to have had a kid, a son–

Yeah, it felt a little like that.

“So, how’s work, Cal?” – Sandy questioned, trying to smile.

“It’s fine, as usual”

“Ha”

“And how is your... Public defense?” – he sneered a little, as he always did.

“Just great” – he glanced at Ryan’s bowed head but said nothing no more. Seth suddenly wondered if his grandfather had dug into the circumstances of Ryan going to Juvie, if he knew he had a (half) brother who had gone on to jail, if he knew Dawn Atwood had left Ryan in the dust.

Seth wondered what Caleb could have seen in a woman capable of leaving her child behind. Ryan had been pretty evasive about it, however he’d given the impression that she was not someone anyone would want raising them, at least in Seth’s opinion. Kirsten had certainly looked irritated every time her name was even mentioned, like she wanted to think her brother had grown up in a good home, if not as rich as theirs, and it was another painful reminder that her father had cheated, sired a child and abandoned it.

Oh great, and now Seth was even angrier, thinking of Caleb leaving Ryan (maybe because he didn’t know, maybe because he didn’t care), and Dawn leaving Ryan the moment she could. God, but Seth wanted to punch someone, something, because Ryan was such a good guy, he was so quiet and nice and he went along with Seth’s bullshit (yeah, yeah, he knew how he could get), he was the best uncle/sort–of–brother a guy like Seth could ever dream of having dropped on his lap on a random day, and it made him so freaking enraged that they hadn’t grown up together, that he had been raised with love and privilege and Ryan had– He didn’t even really want to think about all the crap Ryan had had to put up with over the years.

If only Caleb had–

“Is he going to attend Harbor as well?” – Caleb tried again, and Seth had to give him props for tenacity, if nothing else.

“Where else should he go?” – Kirsten almost snarled at him.

“Kiki–”

“Don’t call me that” – she hissed – “You don’t ever call me that again”

“Kirsten, please, you’re being unreasonable”

“I’m being–” – she took a deep breath – “You have the nerve to come into my house, eat my food, and just–”

“Maybe you should leave, Cal” – Sandy said softly but Caleb snorted.

“No, no, by all means, daughter mine, get it out of your chest, this is the time”

“You selfish, self involved– I can’t believe you think you can just walk in and–”

“Should I ignore my son?”

“Your son! How convenient!” – she got on her feet and so did he – “A son you forgot all about for sixteen years! Sixteen!”

“Because I made a mistake! Being with Dawn was a mistake!” – Kirsten circled the table to face him. Seth and Sandy quickly got up too, but Ryan remained where he was, just putting a hand over his face.

“Kirsten, Cal–” – Sandy tried to raise his voice to interrupt them.

“Mom!” – Seth screamed. For a moment, all he could hear was his own voice as Kirsten and Caleb turned to look at him with shock written all over their faces. Even Sandy appeared more than a little surprise by him – “Just stop, stop it!”

“Seth–”

“Granddad, seriously, why did you even come here tonight? Why?”

“I can’t want to get to know my son?”

“I’m not even gonna dignify that with a response ‘cause, seriously? Seriously? You just called him a fu– A mistake!”

“I did not call–”

“You just said being with his mom was a mistake!”

“And it was!”

“I think you should leave right now, granddad”

“Seth”

“Or do you seriously think this is helping any? Seriously?”

To see Caleb speechless should be something Seth enjoyed and appreciated, however under Sandy’s proudness and Kirsten’s gratefulness, he couldn’t feel anything but annoyance. Without another word, Caleb nodded, whirled around and left.

The Cohens stood in place for a moment then Kirsten turned to Ryan, and frowned.

He was gone.

“Damnit” – Seth said under his breath, suddenly feeling immensely awkward and all too aware of what had just taken place.

“Should I–?” – Kirsten said softly, but Sandy shook his head and kissed her forehead.

“I’ll talk to him, don’t worry, hun”

“Dad–”

“You did good, kid” – then he glanced at Kirsten, and Seth sighed.

“Hey, mom, wanna watch TV and finish dinner?” – she attempted a smile.

“Sure, why not”


	4. Hunt for something intangible

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sandy, Ryan, Kirsten and Seth

Thankfully, Ryan was in the pool house. For a moment, Sandy wasn’t sure if he was going to be, because he was pretty sure that in the kid’s shoes, he would have fled the house, the neighborhood, maybe even the entire O.C. in the time it took anyone to notice he was even gone from the table.

Then again, Sandy would likely not even have made it to the table, not without a lot of angry, loud outbursts at anyone and everyone.

Ryan was lying in the bed looking up at the ceiling with such intensity Sandy had to wonder how it hadn’t burst into flames yet.

“Hey” – he greeted from the door.

“Hey” – the teen answered instantly.

“Cal left” – Sandy offered.

“Okay”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“About what?” – Sandy had to pause. Ryan sounded so very calm and closed off, and Sandy understood why he was being like that (not that he had been so open and gleeful otherwise), however it still tore into him.

“Cal” – he finally said briefly.

“What’s there to talk about?”

“Ryan–”

“You heard him, I’m a mistake”

“That’s not true–”

“It’s fine”

“What? No it’s not. No one should–”

“It’s fine, Sandy” – something in the coldness with which he said it made Sandy shiver. 

“Ryan–”

“Sorry, Sandy, but I’m a little tired right now”

“... Of course. There’s still some food left, you know, if you get hungry later”

“Yeah, thanks”

“I’ll... I’ll leave it in the fridge, just in case”

“Sure, thank you”

Sandy threw the all too quiet, all too still teen a last look before he closed the door behind him, feeling even heavier and sadder than he had just minutes before. Something in Ryan’s entire demeanor made him want to go and re–read his file, or mentally review every little thing he had said about his life in Chino, about his (step)father, mother, brother. He thought about his every shy smile around his new family, and every time he closed in on himself, and every brief, blink and you miss it look of deep but resigned jealously at the affection Kirsten and Sandy carelessly gave Seth.

In the end, Kirsten and Seth sat in front of the television, though even from the back Sandy could tell they weren’t paying attention to the screen or the food they were automatically putting into their mouths.

“Sandy?” – Kirsten asked hesitantly, noticing him coming. Seth turned too, his curiosity almost palpable.

“He doesn’t want to talk about it right now”

“Oh. Does he want to eat anything? He hardly ate anything” – she grimaced, and it didn’t take a genius to guess what was on her mind.

“I told ‘im I’d leave it in the fridge, just in case”

“I... Should I–?” – before Kirsten could finish it, Seth and Sandy were shaking their heads.

“Not a good idea, mom” – Seth was quick to put out there – “Trust me”

“I agree, honey. I think he just needs... A little time”

Kirsten still looked troubled, and Sandy tried not to think of how she would later cry and he would hold her, because she wouldn’t do it in front of Seth. Seth, who despite growing up in the O.C. was still so innocent in some regards, and no matter how smart he could be, and Sandy and Kirsten didn’t want to expose him to the ugliness of Caleb’s coldness and Ryan’s previous lonely, likely violent life in Chino.

Not that Caleb was helping any. Seth had always displayed a detached love and understanding of the man, and seemed to know on an instinctual level that the man was not a particularly good father or grandfather, not the kind of dad Sandy himself tried so damn hard to be, and it still never showed that he knew how bad Caleb could get.

“Hey, why don’t you two go to the movies?” – Sandy proposed – “Get out of the house a little, how long has it been since you got any Sun, kid?” – Seth blinked and adopted a look of mock annoyance.

“I went sailing just today!”

“Did you really sail though?”

“Dad”

“Anyway, take Ryan out of the house”

“You sure that’s a good idea?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Because of what just happened?”

“Do you have any suggestions?”

“In fact I do not” – Seth confessed after a long beat – “Alright, okay, I guess I’ll just... Go and ask if he wants to go to the movies. Or something” – he proceeded to rush out to the pool house to doubtlessly wrangle Ryan into a hoodie and then the car. Bless him, but he could be the most insistent little boy in the entire world.

“I don’t know what to do” – Kirsten said, and Sandy put his arms around her as she hugged him and hid hear face in his chest.

“I know, but it’ll be alright”

“Will it?” – Sandy sighed.

“It’ll have to be”

A couple of minutes later, Ryan and Seth came in, the former looking unusually grumpy and the latter all too bouncy (which instantly told Sandy it was more for show than anything else).

“Hey” – Ryan said, adverting his eyes when Kirsten eagerly looked at him.

“I managed to convince Ryan that we have got to go to the movies tonight! Is that okay?” – Seth grinned widely.

“Of course. Need money for popcorn and stuff?” – Sandy was quick to question.

“Nah, I got it. We’ll be back later, parentals”

“Be careful” – Kirsten urged, clearly trying to catch Ryan’s eyes, but he adamantly refused. Sandy had to hand it to him, he could be one pile of stubbornness when he wanted to (so he supposed he would unquestionably fit right into the Cohen household).

“Yeah, thanks” – the blond mumbled, only just making eye contact with Sandy and Kirsten before dashing out of the kitchen. Seth shrugged helplessly and followed, hot on his trail.

“It’ll be okay, hun” – Sandy whispered against Kirsten as she leaned against him.

She said nothing.


	5. Miles away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan ponders

For Ryan, his stay at the Cohens had been pretty tumultuous. He was fairly sure, however, that Sandy, Kirsten and Seth would all deny it, saying it was just exciting, that’s all, trying to appease him and make light of the situation (as they seemed determined to do when it came to Ryan). Nevertheless, there was no denying that things had not been exactly smooth since he walked into the Cohen house and was recognized as Caleb Nichol’s son.

A fact which was now proved via a DNA test that had nearly driven Kirsten over the edge against her (their) father, but that Ryan had easily submitted to, if only because then... Because maybe then he would be able to remain with the Cohens, whom he had easily started to care about in the short time he had been with them. When the results came back, Caleb had engaged Sandy, surprisingly and not, in a standoff when he said Ryan should live with him.

Kirsten was too livid to handle it, so Ryan and Seth distracted her as Sandy and Caleb had it out behind closed doors. It wasn’t the most peaceful of talks, not from the few indiscernible shouts that could be heard from time to time, however in the end, they came out and Caleb stated through his teeth that Ryan would be allowed to stay with the Cohens after all, once all the legalities were observed. You know, since Dawn was still in the wind and the Cohens were Ryan’s temporary guardians through Sandy.

The look Caleb sent Ryan before he left was equal parts longing, cold and all too strange.

Once that was settled, some days passed until Sandy and Kirsten quietly asked Ryan if he would like to stay with them, officially. He carefully asked the man if he had found his mom after all, and Sandy just nodded, eventually telling Ryan he had had a long talk with Dawn and she had agreed to hand over custody to the Cohens. Ryan tried not to show what he felt about that, about Dawn, about Caleb, about the Cohens themselves, and just agreed with it all. What else could he say? Yes, he wanted to be back to poverty and– Whatever else with Dawn? Yes, he wanted to go and live a lonely life with a man he didn’t even care to look at? Or yes, he wanted so much to stay put, having cereal in the morning with Seth babbling without pause for air, while Sandy smeared cream cheese onto a bagel for Kirsten as she had her first cup of coffee?

Life after that was... Odd. It mostly revolved around nodding along as Kirsten supervised the work on his new room, right beside Seth’s and relentlessly asked him about paint colors and furniture and what kind of television he wanted, where should they put his bed, what about a table? Did he want curtains, what type of fabric? Did he think he had enough clothes, should they go shopping yet again? Did he want for anything?

Did he want– Ryan could only nod and quietly choose from the choices she gave him, because she always looked so kind and generous and expectant at him, and he couldn’t stand it. Seth and Sandy tried to teasingly tell her that she should pick the details, as she had most of the house, but she just huffed and said she wanted Ryan to participate, so excuse her while she grilled him on whether he wanted posters on his walls, and roped Seth into helping him pick some when Ryan confusedly said he wanted ‘a’ poster, he supposed.

Should he say he had never lived anywhere that would allow him to put up a poster? Or a nail, for that matter? That he had never had colored walls out of his own volition? That the bed on the pool house was already softer than anything else he had ever slept on, and the bed ‘they’ chose was even better? That her going to so much trouble to fix up a room inside her home for him, nevermind the DNA test results, was too much? That everything she was doing for him, that everything they were all doing for his comfort at all times was too much?

Caleb came over once a week for dinner or lunch, depending on everyone’s schedules, and the frost between father and daughter slowly started to thaw, Ryan thought. Or at least Kirsten could talk to him without spitting fire. Ryan wasn’t particularly pleased with having to even be around the man who was supposed to be his father, however he powered through, answered every pointed question as politely as he could manage (yes, he had attended public school, yes, he had gotten good enough grades, and sure he was looking forward to joining Seth at the local private school filled with kids who were, in his nephew/brother’s opinion very unlike either of them, and all too likely to beat the crap out of them for the sin of existing near them; this last one he manage to keep in his head because he was sure Kirsten would only worry).

It wasn’t horrible, having Caleb Nichol for a father, as cold and stuck–up and weirdly demanding as he was. Dawn had only wanted him to go to school, kicking him out of the house in the mornings for that purpose alone, and Sandy and Kirsten only told the boys to do well, but there was no pressure. Caleb was all about pressing until it hurt, though thankfully Ryan was all too used to that – except it left no bruises on him, which was very unusual.

Not that he would ever voice any of it. Sandy had to be able to guess what his life had been like in Chino, and he had foolishly let slip a little too much in casual conversation to Seth in particular. No, he didn’t need to tell anyone that sometimes he woke up with a start in the middle of the night to Seth exiting his own room to go to the kitchen or something, that he wanted to snark back at Caleb and finally get some reaction from the man (he could take an old man like him), that once his room was finished, it was cavernous and he felt like a little kid some nights, wondering if a shadow was going to attack him.

Once, shadows had been all too real, and that he certainly couldn’t say.

So yes, he went through the motions, he hung out with Seth, he somewhat shyly accompanied Sandy to the beach to learn how to surf (not something Ryan would ever like or be good at, but he was better than clumsy Seth, at least), and once there was nothing more to do with his room, he went with Kirsten to work, saw what she did, what Caleb had built. He only barely touched the blueprints and models for new developments, entranced by it all in a way he never thought he should be.

And now he could. Maybe.


	6. Anchor in place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kirsten (doesn't) drown

The news that Ryan was in fact Caleb Nichol’s son born of some woman from Chino wasn’t something Kirsten could keep for long, not that it made it any less bitter to hear about after he’d started at Harbor. Julie Cooper seemed unexpectedly shocked by the news and supportive of Kirsten, and the Newpsies followed suit, which she supposed she had to accept. That Ryan was from Chino was of some concern, however he was still a Nichol, he was Kirsten Cohen’s half–brother, and he looked enough like an O.C. boy that it could be overlooked, or so they told her.

So kind of them. She was a little more worried about how Ryan could be settling in among his peers to care what they thought of the situation, Seth had always made jokes about how vicious his classmates could be, and suddenly Kirsten could only wonder how much of what he had said over the years was sarcasm and how much of it was real. She hoped very little, because she thought Ryan hadn’t even settled well at the Cohens, and high school was hell no matter what, she still remembered how tough those years were.

Unfortunately, neither Seth nor Ryan wanted to talk about school outside of what classes were like, what assignments they had been given, and in Ryan’s case, what extracurricular activities he could do. Thankfully, though, he had been with them long enough that he only ducked his head a little bit when he asked Sandy and Kirsten if it was okay for him to try out for the soccer team. Seth answered for them, enthusiastically teasing him about being such an athletic Cohen. There was a special kind of pleased smile that broke Ryan’s often serious mask that only being called a Cohen or a member of their little family could bring out, and it was Kirsten’s favorite. It made him look like the sweet boy he really was underneath his still tough exterior.

Ryan tried out and got in the team, albeit as a bench player. He dryly said it was likely because he had never played for his school before (he didn’t add that his school had had no extracurricular activities, certainly not something like soccer, but Sandy quietly filled her in, having been the one to get Ryan’s school records). Nevertheless, it seemed one Cohen was keen on sports (that didn’t involve the ocean), and the entire family cheered him on, though he really was just a bench player.

Didn’t seem like Ryan was bothered by his position in the least, and he always smiled shyly when Sandy, Kirsten and Seth huddle around him on the way home, and offered to stop by for a celebratory dinner, offered no matter the result of the game, and always above the teen’s objections that it wasn’t necessary as, either way, he had never even gotten up from his spot. He was always overruled, and even Kirsten was loud about it.

Hey, Seth had never cared for extracurricular activities, they had to relish in Ryan’s, right? At least so they told him, but in truth, Kirsten took pride in seeing her baby brother enjoying himself, because for all that he liked playing games with Seth, and occasionally cooking for them all, to see him actually smile widely and yell at his teammates made her confident that things were going to be alright after all for him in the O.C., never quite the place for outsiders, much less someone of Ryan’s past.

Speaking of past. Caleb continued coming over once a week for a meal, and although Kirsten had not forgiven him in the least yet, she was civil enough, and even Ryan seemed to be slowly warming up to him. She didn’t have the heart to warn him that she had once been bright eyed and eager to gain even a moment of Caleb’s undivided attention and a show of affection, and had been burned enough times that she wasn’t quite sure why she still tried with him. Ryan was wary of him because of– Because of everything, in particular that disastrous first dinner (which not even Seth dared bring up), however, father and son were both so very solemn and interested in politics and architecture and social issues (as much as Caleb’s interest was very light and mostly for show), and they–

To say Kirsten was hurt and angered in equal measures at the life none of them lived was an understatement. She could imagine what a young, baby cheeked Ryan would have been like, being escorted around by an indulgent Caleb, who showed a marked preference for Ryan already, being presented as Caleb’s favored child. A bitterness Kirsten had long forgotten sometimes tried to surface, but she didn’t let it – she loved Ryan so much, it wasn’t fair for her to resent the attention he so easily got from their father, she imagined because he was a son, and while Caleb Nichol had never voiced it, his desire for a son had never quite been hidden. She could still remember her mother telling one of her closest friends how she regretted never giving her husband a son, though he mercifully never blamed her for it.

That Ryan was the kind of son even a man like Sandy would have liked (no matter how much he adored Seth) was a little painful. He was polite and sweet and generous in a way Kirsten wasn’t sure she would be in his shoes, he spoke to Caleb with an ease no one could match, not sarcastic like Seth and Sandy, nor deferential like Kirsten, just– Just– He didn’t fear Caleb, at all, or he never showed it, at least, instead treating him like he would any other person. Ryan was a good kid, anyone could see, and Caleb responded to that.

Again, Kirsten buried her bitterness and jealousy deep inside her, and she hoped not even Sandy could tell how her heart twisted when she witnessed her father grin just so at Ryan, who clearly still didn’t quite trust him but accepted his presence in his life nonetheless. She loved Ryan, she loved her brother who was almost a son, and she could only be happy he was slowly coming around, slowly blossoming and embracing being Caleb Nichol’s son, Kirsten Cohen’s brother.

All thoughts aside from that were ignored and drowned.


	7. Not the wisest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seth considers

Life with Ryan was... An adventure. Or something like that.

His uncle slash brother had been pretty blasé about joining Seth at Harbor, dryly stating it could hardly be any worse than his previous school. In truth, Seth quietly thought Ryan would actually fit in just fine with the throngs of rich, sheep–like teenagers his parents swore were his peers (he had to bite his tongue sometimes, because if they were in any way the same outside of being from the O.C., he would cut his hands out).

But seriously, Ryan easily fell into a rhythm at Harbor, what with his honest interest in schoolwork, undeniable goods looks, politeness and overall ease at blending in with their classmates. Maybe it was because everyone knew he was Caleb Nichol’s kid and no one really wanted to mess with him, in particular after Ryan couldn’t quite hide a frown when one very curious Summer Roberts questioned him about it.

(being around Summer, even if because of Ryan and Caleb, was one of the best things in Seth’s life, hands down).

Of course, the fact that Ryan got on the soccer team helped some, even though he was relegated to the bench (not that he seemed to care, and the Cohens followed suit – it was weird to have someone in the house who liked sports enough to stay late at school to train, especially considering he had yet to actually play at an official game). Seth was a little bummed about losing his newly discovered uncle slash brother slash best friend a guy could ever wish for, but Ryan was clearly enjoying himself, and Seth didn’t really have it in him to complain (much), after all, it wasn’t like he didn’t have his own stuff to work on, what with the whole Anna thing.

Anna! Yes, Anna. Anna, blond, smart, quick, from Pittsburgh and oddly into him. Sure, she wasn’t Summer, she wasn’t the girl who made him lose himself, however there was something to her, likely the fact that she was the first person in the O.C. to give two craps about the things he liked, and not like Ryan, who tried to get it but didn’t (which was sad when Seth actually stopped to think about it), or Sandy and Kirsten, who attempted to be good parents (which they were) but in the end didn’t get into it. Anna, though. Anna got it.

It was nice to have someone happy and carefree in his life for once, because if not for her, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to handle being around the house all the time. Despite getting along better with Caleb, Kirsten remained a little down whenever she thought Ryan and Seth couldn’t see her (which was inaccurate, she should know better – kids see everything), and Sandy smiled through it all, valiantly making sure everyone was taken cared of while Hurricane Caleb continued to wreck their lives.

Even for Seth, it was incredible how much damage his grandfather could possibly cause even being in the Cohen house for only a few hours a week. But then, the guy did cast a huge shadow, and it was showing more than ever before in Kirsten’s obvious sadness (that Seth himself didn’t want to address) and the way Ryan acted around the adults. Yeah, okay, fine, Seth was a typical only child, thank you, however even he could tell his new uncle slash brother slash best friend slash next door housemate was not himself in the way he went on as a perfect little boy any time Sandy, Kirsten and/or Caleb could see him.

He wondered if he should start poking Ryan until he finally ‘fessed up about what the hell was going on, because Seth had the weird impression that things only looked like they were getting better when in fact– Well, he kind of hated spending time at the beach, but he had been dragged down by Sandy enough times to know that all waves eventually broke.


	8. The uncanny valley

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sandy wonders

Thing was, Sandy was having a hard time knowing how to proceed with all the changes that had taken place since he brought Ryan back to the Cohen residence. He tried to smile it off to make sure his lovely wife, hyperactive son and all too observant new brother–in–law didn’t pick up on it, they were having their own problems to deal with, and he supposed someone had to be a rock, so why not him.

It sucked to be a responsible adult sometimes.

Anyway. The Ryan Situation.

For anyone outside of the family it was like they were all happy and united, Caleb, Ryan and Kirsten were sweet and lovely, Seth was blissfully unaware of everything and happy in his little world, and Sandy was hard at work as usual. Except Sandy was the one who saw how Kirsten was undoing at the seams, late at night when she allowed herself to think about the Situation, who could tell the tension in the house was not lost on Seth, no matter his new relationship with the adorable Anna, and Ryan– Ryan could smile and advert his eyes and be polite and confident all he wanted, however even someone like Sandy, who barely knew him, could tell that if things remained as it was, he would explode, and Sandy had seen every other Nichol family member blow up, and it was never pretty, pleasant or quiet.

Hopefully Ryan’s wouldn’t involve broken vases and windows (last time Halley was around, well, suffice to say they had to call their glass guy the very next morning after she left). Then again, Caleb had a horrible temper when he actually let it out, and Sandy knew that Ryan’s superficial serenity hid an entire volcano, if not more. He was a teenage boy, after all, and Sandy could still remember how wild he acted when he was sixteen, and Sandy had not even had the excuse of being stuck in a weird, unfamiliar place, surrounded by strangers who meant well but didn’t understand what he was really going through. For all that Sandy had grown up with kids like Ryan, worked with teens like Ryan, he could only guess as to what the boy was feeling. Something told him he would not have been as sweet as Ryan, or at least able to pretend to be as level headed.

If nothing else, if Sandy found out a man like Caleb was his father, he might’ve ran away instead of having to deal with him, and yet Ryan remained put. Then again, what did he have to return to? Dawn was not in any state to raise a child, in particular a smart, sensitive teen like Ryan, the man Ryan considered his father all his life was in jail, and would be for a while still, and his (half) brother was also stuck behind bars for at least the next couple of years. What else did Ryan have? He mentioned no friends, he mentioned no beloved teachers, he mentioned little about Chino that made Sandy feel guilty about pulling him away from that place.

And then Sandy tried not to wonder about the life Ryan could have had as Ryan Nichol. Would he be as kind under Caleb’s thumb? Would he accept Kirsten’s mothering as easily? Would he laugh at Sandy’s silly jokes? Would he be as patient with Seth? Sandy didn’t think so, and it made him feel so sad for his brother–in–law, sad that the only reason he was such a good kid was because he had had to be, because if he hadn’t, he would have been thrust into Juvie many a times before Sandy came along (like Trey Atwood had).

Or worse, however Sandy didn’t like to consider the possibilities.

In truth, Sandy wanted to sit Ryan down and tell him it was okay to tell Seth to back off when he was yapping his ear off (he loved his son, really, he did, but it could be tiring), that he didn’t need to eat everything Kirsten kept pushing his way, that– That Sandy was not going to punish him for existing in his line of sight, that Caleb wouldn’t snatch him away into a life of privilege and little else. But something told Sandy that it would be a mistake to try and reach out to Ryan so soon, when he was still walking on eggshells, just like he knew he needed to give Kirsten space and time to process the way Ryan was integrating in their little world, how Caleb doted on him, which he never did even to Halley. He knew her enough to know there was a lot she had to think about and consider, however he didn’t quite know what it all was, and yet it didn’t bother him because they would eventually talk about it.

Maybe he should tell Caleb to back the hell down, Ryan was still fragile, he was a child, he was not a steady, mini Caleb Nichol, he was much like Kirsten, they both presented a strong front, but they could be destroyed; Sandy had seen it with Kirsten, and he hoped he didn’t need to see it with Ryan, though he was despondently sure he would, and soon, all too soon.

Things had been a little too serene for a while, and if life in the O.C. had taught Sandy anything, it was that there was always a something else coming around the corner.


	9. Run towards the Sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan, Sandy and Lindsay

Ryan bit into his apple and look out the pier. It was still pretty early, and he was alone on the boardwalk, which he liked very much.

He had accompanied Sandy when the man stated he was going surfing. Seth and Kirsten had quickly refused to follow along, but Ryan accepted easily enough, though he made it clear he thought it was a little cold, and he preferred to watch on from the pier or the sand. His– His brother–in–law smiled widely nonetheless.

“Well, at least you’ll get some nice, fresh air, which’s more than I can say for these two” – he pointed at his wife, purposely drinking her coffee and turning the pages of the newspaper, and his son, yawning and trying not to fall into his cereal.

“Don’t forget to take a jacket” – Kirsten warned as she prepared to leave. She gave Sandy a pick peck and squeezed Ryan’s shoulder before walking out.

“Looks like it’s just you and me, kid” – Sandy said with a wink, and Seth made a big spectacle of himself when his elbow slipped from the counter and he nearly turned his bowl over, some of the milk and cereal getting all over – “Clean that up, okay?”

“Sir, yes sir” – Seth mumbled, nodding in thanks as Ryan handed him several paper towels.

And so Sandy went off to gleefully surf despite the fact Ryan was pretty sure the early morning water was freezing cold, and he watched on, breakfast in hand. It was nice, the soft breeze and quietness that fell around him. As much as he liked living in the Cohen house, it was constantly noisy for one reason or another, there was always someone around, Harbor was always full, of course, so he hadn’t had many chances to be with himself in a while.

It was nice.

He started contemplating going down to the beach to sit, maybe try and spot Sandy (who was not, in fact, the only brave surfer out there), wait it out until they drove back home, likely with a slight detour. Sandy was always famished after surfing, and whenever Ryan accompanied him, which was often enough during the weekend, he would playfully drag him to a diner for a mid–morning snack, as he put it. Ryan wondered what the Cohens had with shoving food down his throat, because even Seth sometimes tried to feed him, even though in his case it was usually ice cream and other less than health stuff.

“Oh God!” – someone exclaimed, and next thing he knew, Ryan was face down on the floor. Okay, ouch – “Oh no. I’m so sorry! Are you okay?!” – he groaned as he slowly got up.

“I think so” – he managed to lean against the railing before finally looking up to meet a red headed girl around his age, as far as he could guess, wearing a deeply concerned expression.

“I’m sorry, I tripped and then I was going to fall, and you were there...” – she explained, wincing and flushing – “Are you hurt? That looked like it hurt”

“Not really, but I do think I’ll have a bruise or two to show for it” – she looked even more worried – “Hey, it’s okay, really, don’t worry”

“Again, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean–”

“I know you didn’t”

“Can I do anything for you? Get you some water, maybe?” – she looked around, as if confused – “I mean, I don’t know why I’m offering water if I only have mine and I don’t think there’s really anything open at the moment to buy another one, because obviously I can’t just hand you my open bottle and– You know what, I’m gonna stop talking right about now” – she babbled, and Ryan had such a strong vision of Seth he had to laugh a little – “Oh, c’mon, it’s not THAT funny, is it?”

“No, sorry, it’s just– You remind me of– Someone” – he still didn’t know how to call Seth, his sort–of–brother or nephew–who–was–his–age without it being weird. He wasn’t too sure he ever would know.

“Oh. Well, hum, hope that’s a good thing?”

“It is. But, hey, are you okay? You took me down with you, but you gotta have felt that too”

“I’m kinda used to it, I’m afraid I’m not well made for exercising, though I really need it”

“Do you?” – Ryan said before he could think about it, and he instantly felt mortified by the surprise that crossed the girl’s face – “I mean...” – he didn’t know what he meant. Damnit.

“Thanks, I guess?” – she said uncertainly, but he could see a small smile trying to break free – “Hm, can I ask you something?”

“Sure”

“I... Are you–? That kid?”

“What kid?” – he dreaded to even ask.

“The transfer? From– From Chino”

“I suppose I am”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that, I just. I mean, we go to school together”

“I guessed as much” – she suddenly looked uncomfortable, and Ryan felt a little bad for the coldness that sipped through his tone.

“I’m Lindsay” – she said after a beat.

“Ryan”

“I knew that” – she winced and closed her eyes for a moment – “Anyway, sorry again for, you know, using you to break my fall and– Anyway, yeah. I should get back to my run”

“Sure” – she nodded awkwardly and started jogging away.

Something in him hoped she would have more luck on the rest of her morning and would be able to avoid any more falls, ‘cause damn, but his knees really were going to bruise like a peach, he could feel them already.

He eventually went down to meet Sandy, who gleefully shook his head like a wet dog while smiling from side to side.

“Did you get enough fresh air?” – he questioned as he started removing his wet suit.

“Yeah, I guess”

“What do you think about pancakes and milk shakes?”

“This early in the morning?”

“It’ll be our little secret from Kirsten” – he paused – “And Seth, I guess, he likes his pancakes”

“I will do my best to keep it to myself, then” – Sandy put an arm around him and it felt wet and warm and Ryan only barely managed not to wince away.

Afterwards, Sandy would nonetheless crow to his son with a Joker–like laugh about the chocolate chip pancakes, and Seth would moan and complain and whine while Ryan laughed as he mercilessly killed his nephew/brother’s avatar as they played. And then Kirsten would return from a lunch with some Newpsies to see her husband and son bickering as Ryan shook his head and made piles upon piles of pancakes and waffles and crepes that were almost covering every inch of the kitchen.

“Well, seems you boys have had a much better morning than me” – she mused as she perched beside Ryan and grinned sweetly at him.

“Any requests?” – the boy asked, snorting – “I think I’ve made about every single type of pancake, crepe and waffle you could possibly think of”

“Hmm... You don’t actually have to humor them, they won’t possibly eat all of this”

“Oh, I invited Anna over” – Seth called out before screeching when Sandy reached out and pinched his cheek.

“Our boy, Kirsten! Growing up, getting himself a lovely girl friend”

“Father, stop it”

“Hear that, hun? Careful, or you’ll be ‘mother’ next” – the woman shook her head and turned back to Ryan.

“Do you want to invite a friend over too?” – she asked casually.

He thought about Lindsay, practically the only other person his age he’d really talked to besides Seth since he arrived to the O.C., and shook his head.

“No, it’s okay. I guess Anna will have to come with an appetite”

“At least we’ve got enough food for dinner” – she commented dryly.


	10. In no particular order

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kirsten, Cohens and Caleb (plus one)

Kirsten tried not to sigh at her father, and her father’s newest girlfriend. She didn’t know how to feel about him getting so comfortable around Ryan and the rest of the Cohens that he thought it was okay to flaunt his young, always grinning lady. The Cohens were all too used to it, Seth and Sandy as usual welcoming enough while being a tad dismissive (not surprising, as they had seen many a woman on Caleb’s arm over the years), but Kirsten wondered if she imagined Sandy’s sharp glare at her father when he first came in with Alyssa. Seth she found more difficult to read, however he practically ignored Caleb and spent most of the time trying to engage Ryan.

Kind of hard to do when Caleb kept drawing his attention to him.

“I hear you are doing rather well lately at school” – the man mentioned, and the teen looked at him with something between confusion and irritation.

“I suppose” – he finally answered, a small crease between his eyebrows.

“I asked to be made aware of your performance” – he paused to spear a piece of carrot – “Not doing so well in the soccer team, is it?”

“I’m doing fine” – Ryan said with a lot more bite than Kirsten had ever heard from him, but she could see annoyance on his shoulders, and Seth fidgeted in place.

“You’ve never even played on any official game–”

“That’s not the point of getting on the team” – Ryan interrupted, looking away from him.

“I played basketball in my day”

“They had basketball back in the Stone Age?” – Seth murmured under his breath. Sandy snorted into his plate and Caleb scowled for a moment as Kirsten and, much to her surprise, the quiet Alyssa hid their grins behind their wine glasses.

“Watch your mouth” – Caleb snapped.

“Please don’t talk to my son like that, Cal” – Sandy said lightly.

“Maybe you should parent him a little better, then, Sanford”

“Okay! Okay, fine!” – Seth interjected before it escalated – “I’m sorry, okay? Sorry” – he pushed his plate from him and slumped in his seat.

Kirsten wished she could send him, and Ryan, to their rooms, however she was so not in the mood to have another fight with her father (that the boys would undoubtedly hear anyway – she could admit they got pretty loud at times).

“So” – Alyssa started into the silence that followed – “What do you kids like to do?” – she asked politely, nicely, even, and Kirsten felt a weird surge of affection for her.

“Eh, I like, you know, comic books and video games” – Caleb shook his head as he reached for his drink, and Kirsten hated him so much for a split second.

“First shooter?”

“Mostly, some RPG– Wait, you play?” – Seth looked shocked as he downright stared at Alyssa, who nodded.

“On and off. I have two little brothers, and all they do is play, so I picked up a few things over the years”

“Huh. Cool”

“What about you, Ryan?”

“Not much” – he said briefly, but his voice was quiet not aggressive.

“You don’t like comic books?”

“Not really” – he glanced up at her – “I like cooking”

“Really? Oh, did you help with dinner?”

“No, I’m afraid that’s too much for me” – he said bashfully.

“He makes the best pancakes” – Sandy offered.

“And waffles, and crepes. He’s trying to fatten us” – Seth continued.

“He’s making a valiant effort, at least” – Kirsten finished, smiling supportively at Ryan.

“That’s a good skill to have, I wish I could cook anything at all, I’m afraid I’m something of a walking hazard” – Alyssa confessed, and Kirsten felt like she would be able to like the woman very much, if she wasn’t her father’s latest girlfriend, that is. Speaking of Caleb, he did not look happy, however he was quietly stewing.

“We are starting a new development” – Caleb interrupted the joyful conversation, staring at Ryan – “It’ll be in Los Angeles. Would you like to go up there to see it?” – the boy looked slowly from him to Kirsten and said nothing.

“Dad, we have barely broken ground” – Kirsten replied instead – “It’ll be boring for him to see the start of the construction, plus it’s not completely safe for a– There are plenty of developments right here in the O.C. that are nearly finished that Ryan can go and visit, that are in far better condition”

“Yes, I suppose” – he grumbled – “When do you suppose you can take the time to come with me, son?” – Ryan only barely narrowed his eyes at the address, as if... As if he didn’t like the all too pointed reminder of their undeniable familial connection.

“Perhaps next weekend?” – Kirsten interrupted again – “Unless you have homework to finish?” – Ryan paused then shook his head.

“It’s okay” – he answered softly, looking back blankly at Caleb – “I’d like to see what the Newport Group is up to” – he didn’t try for a smile, and for a split second, Kirsten felt like there were two of her father at her table. It was unnerving how like Caleb Ryan could look when he repressed his natural sweetness.

“I look forward to it” – beside her, Seth seemed to slump further in his seat, though not enough for anyone else to really notice.

After Caleb and Alyssa left at last, Seth and Sandy retreated to their rooms, the man giving Kirsten a gentle kiss on the cheek before going. Ryan quietly helped her load the dishwasher, and Kirsten sighed at his reticence.

“You don’t have to, you know”

“Sorry?”

“I know– I know he can be difficult, but you don’t have to come with us next weekend. Really, it’ll be fine if you don’t come” – Ryan stood up from putting the last dish in the washer and starting it and frowned at her.

“Should I not come?”

“What? No, that’s not what I–”

“I don’t have to come” – he said quickly.

“No, Ryan, I didn’t mean it like that”

“I’ll probably have practice or something anyway”

“Ryan–”

“Or maybe I’ll hang out with Seth and Anna” – he said, much quieter.

“Do you want to–”

“I’ll put everything away in the morning, excuse me” – he said all too quickly for her to stop him from dashing to his room.

Just when she thought she had gotten a handle on how to deal with Ryan, he proved her wrong, and while she wanted so much to blame her– Their father and be done with it all, what she actually wanted more than anything was to chase after him, hug him and reassure him that she would never let Caleb steal him away, that she loved him and it wasn’t just Caleb who wished to share their work with him.

She sat in the dark kitchen for a long time, nursing a glass of wine, until Sandy came for her.


	11. Cannot get started

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seth, Anna and Ryan (and fleas)

Seth tried not to look up as his mother said her goodbyes before leaving to meet Caleb for their LA trip. Sandy kissed her gently and only sighed once they heard the door open and close.

Ryan was not in the kitchen with them.

Despite the way his grandfather had tried to strong arm Ryan (and Kirsten) into going to LA with them, his best friend slash brother (slash uncle) mentioned in passing the day after the dinner that he wasn’t going after all. Seth thought it was weird, but his mom had been pretty strangely quiet that morning over breakfast, and Ryan had almost a cloak of annoyance covering him, or something, so Seth decided that maybe it would be best to ignore it and move right along like it was not even a problem.

I mean, it wasn’t, right? Someone would tell him if it were.

“Is Ryan okay?” – Anna questioned the moment the solemn teen went to the bathroom. They were all hanging out at the Cohens, watching old movies Ryan had never seen.

“What you mean?”

“Seth, c’mon” – she huffed, looking up and lowering her voice – “I can’t be the only one who’s noticed he’s kind of... You know”

“No, I don’t”

“He’s being– He’s so quiet today”

“That’s Ryan, he’s always quiet, what’re you even talking about?” – she stared at him for a long moment – “What?” – he almost snapped, suddenly feeling irritated.

“Nothing”

“Anna, no, what?”

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore, if you’re going to be like this”

“I just don’t get what you–” – he yelped when she swiftly punched his thigh. A second later, Ryan came back wearing a bemused expression.

“Everything okay?” – he asked, sitting on the other end of the couch.

“Never better” – Anna chirped – “Hey, do you wanna go out and do something?”

“Do something?” – he parroted.

“Yeah. I mean, I think your cinematic education is very important, don’t get me wrong” – she grinned – “however you have been here how long? And I’ll bet Seth hasn’t exactly been showing you around town at all”

“Hey, I have too” – Seth complained, not quite understanding what she was about, but jumping right in.

“The movies and ice cream shop don’t count” – Anna retorted easily.

“I... I really don’t have to, you know–” – Ryan tried, but Seth could sense more than see Anna’s tenacity.

“How do you feel about checking out a museum?” – she proposed.

“That’s boring” – Seth pitched in, and the glare Anna gave him sent chills down his spine.

“Or the flea market–”

“We have flea markets?”

“Seth, shut up” – she said almost angrily, and he didn’t think Anna could DO angry, but there you have it – “So, what do you think? I’m sure we can find something fun to do” – she happily turned to Ryan, who looked about as confused as Seth felt at her sudden effervescence.

“Sure?” – he replied slowly, and Anna looked very happy with herself.

 

“So, what made you want to hit the flea market of all places? And I’m still shocked the Newpsies allow flea markets to exist in Newport, I mean” – Anna rolled her eyes.

“We’ll talk about this later, so shall we enjoy ourselves now? Hey, Ryan” – she moved over to the blond, who had stayed a couple of steps behind them, shoulders stiff as he looked at the multitude of items on display.

“Yeah?” – he called out.

“My parents are still looking to decorate the house, wanna help me? Something tells me you have better taste than Seth”

“Oh. No, I don’t... I don’t know anything about...” – he looked around awkwardly.

“Yeah, why do you think I don’t know anything about decorating?” – Seth complained.

“C’mon, I’m sure you can help just fine” – Anna spoke to Ryan as if Seth hadn’t said a thing.

Oh great, his own girlfriend was ignoring him over his sort–of–brother and best friend. What started as a really nice Saturday became really boring, with Anna dragging Ryan all over the market, pointing at seemingly random pieces of art, vases, rugs and furniture and asking for his opinion, which he gave with increasing confidence, though he kept looking at Seth with wide, confused eyes.

“Ah! This is nice” – Anna exclaimed and went over to circle a coffee table. She motioned the boys over with a simple look, and they obeyed immediately.

“The wood if nice” – Ryan conceded, almost shyly, reaching out and gently touching the surface of the intricately carved table. Even Seth had to admit, if only in his head, that it was very pretty – “I like the angels” – he nearly whispered. 

“What angels?” – Anna asked, and followed as his hand moved over to the side of the table, where tiny angels kind of floated about, each a little different from the previous one.

“You have a good eye” – a woman appeared with a smile – “Most people think they’re flowers or something” – Ryan cleared his throat and quickly removed his hand from the table – “Do you like it?”

“It’s great!” – Anna replied – “How much is it?”

“Two hundred and forty” – she said easily enough.

“That’s not too bad, the work is beautiful” – Anna hummed for a moment – “Can I reserve it? We’re still looking around, but I don’t want to lose this”

“Sure. What name should I put it under?”

“Cohen” – she piped up.

“Wait, what?” – Seth frowned, but the women ignored him thoroughly.

“We’ll definitely come back for it” – Anna promised.

“Wait, wait” – the woman grabbed a few leaflets and thrust them upon the teens – “I give carving lessons, in case you’re interested” – she looked at Ryan a little more, and the blond started some.

“Thank you, that’s good to know” – Anna said, and the trio continued walking.

“So, that was kinda weird, right?” – Seth mumbled to Ryan as his girlfriend walked ahead of them, towards some colorful posters.

“What was?”

“That lady” – he looked down as Ryan carefully folded the leaflet and shoved it in his pocket – “Are you–?”

“Look, Anna’s calling us” – Ryan rushed over to her before Seth could really think about what in the world was going on.

Eventually, they stopped for lunch, with Anna smiling widely and asking (ordering) Ryan to go and get them hot dogs and drinks. The blond did so mechanically, and Seth frowned bemusedly at Anna.

“Okay, now you’ll tell me what’s the deal with all of this?”

“All of what?”

“You made us leave and come walk all over this mysteriously still standing flea market to look for stuff for your house? I’ve been there, it’s all furnished! Didn’t it COME furnished? I think you said something like that, so–”

“Look, Seth, if you don’t want to come along, you are welcomed to sit wherever and then wait for Ryan and I, but you are not going to ruin this”

“I don’t understand what’s happening! You wanna spend time with Ryan and not me? I’m your boyfriend!”

“Yes, and you’re Ryan’s– Nephew and brother and best friend and you can’t see what’s happening?”

“What you mean?”

“Dear God, Seth. He’s not well!”

“He’s not what?”

“I know you know he’s not dealing well with this whole situation–”

“Obviously”

“–but did you even ask why he didn’t go with your mom and granddad to LA?”

“Well. No...”

“He’s upset, Seth, so I wanted to get him out of the house! That’s what a good friend does”

“Oh”

“And he’s my friend, you know, in case you didn’t realize it”

“I know” – except he’d never really considered it, that Anna really thought Ryan was her friend, despite her relationship with Seth.

“You’re an idiot”

“Thank you, thank you for that”

“Look, I know you love comic books and video games, and that’s fine, I love ‘em too, but that’s not Ryan!”

“But he–”

“He goes along with everything you propose because it’s Ryan! He’s nice!”

“Hey, I’m nice too!”

“Of course you are, dummy, but Ryan–” – she sighed – “I know you see what’s happening”

“Yeah” – he said, a little quietly, and glanced at Ryan, standing in line.

“I want to buy that table for him”

“What?”

“Didn’t you see the way he–? He really liked it”

“I guess...”

“I think you should encourage him to get a hobby, if not carving, then something that has nothing to do with school. Or you, or your parents”

“But he actually likes going to the Newport Group. More than me, anyway”

“Sure, but c’mon, it’s not like he’s going to start working there right now”

“No, of course not”

“So?” – he sighed.

“I suppose I could try and talk to him, tell him the parentals wouldn’t mind it if he got a hobby that wasn’t making pancakes or surfing or sailing or looking at blueprints” – she shook her head and kissed his cheek.

Ryan found them snuggling, and he grinned uncomfortably as he handed them the hot dogs and put the drinks down on the table.

“So, uncle Ryan” – Seth began – “How do you feel about carving?”

“I’m sorry?”

“I mean, it’s not something I would ever be interested in, obviously, I mean, manual labor? No thank you. But you, my dear uncle–”

“Stop calling me that”

“–I think you are made for rough hands, you know, for a man’s work” – Anna stifled a giggle and started coughing – “Laugh it up, that’s what I’m here for”

“You know it” – she managed.

“So you want me to start taking carving lessons?” – Ryan raised an eyebrow.

“Or something. I mean, I know mom would love her some hand carved furniture”

“I–”

“Plus, dad hides it well, but I’m pretty sure he’d be all for it, maybe he could even get into it too. Dad’s pretty handsy too” – he paused as Anna downright started chuckling – “Handy. Handy, he’s good with his hands. Ew, I’m gonna stop talking now”

Ryan looked bewilderedly and amusedly at him and finally started eating.

Seth wondered what his family would think about Ryan taking up carving, or any other kind of manual hobby like it. In particular, he wondered what his soft handed grandfather would think about it, since he could clearly recall him making snide comments on people who made a living from hobbies better left to one’s very dull retirement, as he put it.

He could just imagine Caleb’s face when it came to him that his son was not only from Chino, not only happy to be a bench warmer, but also a manual laborer.


	12. By the sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sandy, Jimmy and (talks about) the law

“So, you think I can get out of this thing?” – Jimmy questioned Sandy.

“Maybe. It’s gonna be rough, but I’ll try my best, trust me” – the lawyer replied with a tired smile.

“I do, I do, I just– You know, this is my family we’re talking about, Sandy, I mean”

“I know, but these are the consequences, Jimmy, we just need to make sure you don’t go to jail over this” – Jimmy grimaced and nodded solemnly.

In between Ryan arriving, and Kirsten and Caleb not speaking for a time, and Seth getting a girlfriend, Jimmy Cooper’s family life imploded when it came to light that the man had been stealing money from his clients. Normally, Sandy was sure Kirsten would’ve flocked to her old time friend in order to assist in any way that she could, however she had been preoccupied with Ryan adjusting to being a Nichol–Cohen to notice that Jimmy was falling apart.

Eventually, the man himself came over to ask for help, desperation pouring out of him in waves as he finally cried to Sandy that he didn’t know who else to turn to, now that the O.C. knew what he had done. At first, Sandy didn’t want to get involved, because he knew it wouldn’t end well for anyone, however when he talked to Kirsten about it, she urged him to do it, saying she had been too busy with ‘other things’ to notice what was happening to Jimmy, but could Sandy please help him?

Well, he supposed he could. Jimmy Cooper was not a bad man, he was dumb and had married Julie Cooper, but he was not bad, he didn’t deserve to go to jail, so Sandy decided that if he could help kids, day in, day out, he could very well help one O.C. guy who had completely lost control.

“You know what?” – Jimmy said after a long stretch of silence – “Let’s not talk about my pitiful life anymore, how’re things going with you guys? With, ah, you know, the kid”

“Sorry?”

“What’s his name? Brian?”

“Ryan”

“Right, sorry, Ryan. How’s that going? Can’t be easy, taking in a teenager, no matter– Well” – he finished awkwardly.

“It’s fine, Ryan is a great kid” – Sandy replied, perhaps with more affection than he was ready to show. But it was Jimmy, and Kirsten trusted him, so he supposed he could trust him too, at least in this.

“Oh, I’m sure he is. I’ve seen him around, I think, you know, when I wasn’t hiding in my house. He looks like he’s getting along well with Seth”

“They are a pair, that’s for sure”

“Good, good. Seth always seemed a little...” – Jimmy cleared his throat and took another sip of his beer.

“Yeah, I know, but now they’ve got each other” – and boy, did they. No matter that Sandy still thought Ryan had to start standing up to himself in regards to Seth’s exuberance, it warmed him and Kirsten to see them acting increasingly close and brotherly.

“It’s good” – the man looked into the distance of the O.C. skyline – “This is going to destroy Marissa, you know”

“She’s got a good head on her shoulders, I’m sure she’ll do just fine”

“Well, yeah, I guess” – he snorted – “Don’t know how she came out of me and Julie, she’s so– But yeah, she’ll do fine” – he paused and sighed – “God, I hope, man, this is hard enough without having to think how much I’m ruining the girls’ lives”

“Kaitlin is young, she’ll bounce right back, Marissa has Summer, they’re good friends, right?”

“Sure, sure. Very nice girl, that Summer”

“And c’mon? Julie is like a cat in more ways than one, she’ll land on her feet” – Jimmy shook his head.

“Amazing that I’m not the only one who sees that”

“Hey, we’ve had plenty of time to get to know one another, haven’t we? Lifetime neighbors and all that”

“Yeah, I suppose” – he took a deep breath – “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure”

“If it comes to it–”

“Jimmy, we’ve talked about this–”

“I know, I just– Like you said, Julie will do just fine, she can take care of herself, but the girls... The girls...”

“Jimmy–”

“I know it’s too much to ask for, I know that you have Seth and Ryan now to worry about, but if... If something happens to me...”

“Don’t worry. Really. I’m sure Kirsten will agree with me that Marissa and Kaitlin will always have a place to stay here, no questions asked” – Jimmy put a hand on his eyes and nodded.

“Thank you, I just– God, I’ve realty screwed everything up, haven’t I?”

“Pretty much” – Jimmy chuckled as he wiped his stray tears away.

“I’m glad I managed to hang on to Kirsten... And you, as friends, Sandy. You guys are the best”

“Don’t even mention it, we’d never turn our backs on your girls” – he stopped for a moment and considered his next words – “They’re innocent in all of this”

“Yeah”

“Look, I know things are... Tense, to say the least, but how about we get the families together for a little barbecue? You guys can hop over the fence, I’ll man the grill, it’ll be nice”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely. Seth can bring over his girlfriend–”

“Wait, SETH has a girlfriend?”

“Believe it. And maybe Ryan has a friend he wants to invite... And Marissa can bring Summer and, whattshisface, Luke? Her boyfriend”

“Luke, yes”

“Anyway, we’ll have a whole Cohen/Cooper & friends day! Next... Sunday? Should be enough time to convince Julie to come out in the Sun, and to talk Kirsten out of cooking” – the men shared a chuckle.

“Sure, that sounds good, man”

“We adults can be boring and old, and the kids can have their own fun. Seth’s girl, Anna, she’s adorable, very smart, I’m sure she’ll get along great with Marissa and Summer. And I think Luke is the soccer team captain, right?”

“I think so, he’s captain to so many teams”

“I mean, Ryan mostly just bench warms during actual games, but he never misses a practice”

“Good kid, huh?”

“Great kid”

“He... He really does look like Kirsten, almost like he’s her kid”

“They do look alike, huh?”

“Good thing he doesn’t seem to have much of Caleb in him”

“You’d be surprised, as much as I hate to admit it, my father–in–law is very sharp, and Ryan, man, he’s such a smart kid. Seth is too, of course, but he applies it mostly into being sarcastic, Ryan is good at directing it towards schoolwork and such”

“Ah. Wonder if he’s made friends with Marissa, then. I mean, seriously, I don’t know where she gets it, but she’s pretty smart too. Social chair, all of that stuff”

“I’m afraid neither of my boys have the Newport sociability gene”

“Take after you, huh?” – Jimmy teased good naturedly.

Sandy could only grin as both men turned to watch the clear sky and enjoy the soft breeze.


	13. Question the man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan, Lindsay and wood (plus Sandy)

Ryan kept walking down the beach, searching for driftwood and anything else that people may have thrown out. Sandy was out surfing, as per usual, and the blond was using the opportunity in order to see if he could find something to start a project.

Catherine, his carving teacher, had kindly said he had a good eye for it, and gave him as homework for him to make a coffee table with any material he liked. He glanced at some of her unfinished work, all around her small studio, and wondered if she meant any material he could buy. That, however, was kind of out of the question – Kirsten and Sandy had already spent more than enough money on him, he wouldn’t ask them to pay for his hobby. Thankfully he’d saved a lot of his allowance from Caleb (who insisted on slapping a few bills on his hand every time he came over the Cohen residence), and had paid for his lessons himself. When asked where he was, he mumbled that he was getting to know Newport. Seth never said a word about it to the parentals, and was even nice enough to drop him off and pick him up.

He hoped he would be able to convince Sandy he was getting the driftwood, and whatever else he might find, for a school project, or as a favor for Anna. He would decide later, depending on what he ended up finding.

“Ryan?” – someone called from above, and Ryan frowned as he tried to block the Sun from his eyes.

“Lindsay?”

“Hey” – she greeted with a wide smile, pretty much the only thing he could see beside her long hair – “What’re you doing down there?”

“Oh, you know, just...” – he cleared his throat, unsure of himself all of a sudden – “Waiting for my– My– Waiting on someone”

“I see” – he thought she shifted in place – “Want some company?” – she asked hesitantly.

“Aren’t you running?”

“I... Yeah, well, I am, but... I mean, I’m sorry, you probably want to be alone right now... I’ll just–”

“No, no. I. Look, I just don’t want to get in the way of your, you know, workout” – she laughed nervously.

“You won’t, I can just pick it up later. I’m, ah, I’m going down, okay?”

“Sure” – Ryan shook his head as she disappeared and he stayed in place, trying to spot items on the beach. Perhaps Lindsay would know it better, Seth certainly hadn’t, but he had confessed he barely ever spent time at the beach.

“Hey” – Lindsay said, waving a little as she approached him.

“Hey”

“So, hum...”

“Sorry, I–” – they started at the same time, then chuckled awkwardly.

They stayed in silence for a little while as Ryan started walking again and Lindsay kept up, looking down just like him, even though he was sure she was not looking for anything like him.

“Can I ask you something?” – he finally said.

“Of course”

“Do you come down to the beach often?”

“Hum, sort of... I mean, when it’s not as hot I come down to run sometimes. Why?”

“I’m actually kind of looking for driftwood”

“Oh! Really?”

“Yeah, and I was wondering if you’ve ever noticed any lying around”

“I think so... Though I don’t think it’s a lot. Do you need a lot? What are you going to use it for?” – she stopped and widened her – “Of God, I’m sorry, that’s so nosy! You don’t have to answer any of that, I’m just gonna... Shut up now”

“No, no, it’s fine. I’m... Trying to do a project. Maybe a coffee table, if I can find enough... Material”

“Oh. Huh”

“What?”

“Nothing, I just– Why driftwood? I’m sure you can find wood all the easier at a hardwood store...?”

“I can, but I want to try and see what I can possibly do with driftwood first”

“Ah. Well, hum, I can help you look, at the very least, two’s better than one, right?”

“Right. Thanks” – he gave her a quick grin and he blinked when the fleeting thought of how pretty she looked when she smiled bashfully was went through his head.

They looked for a while, Ryan always trying to keep an eye on where Sandy was (he didn’t think he would like it if he came ashore and couldn’t find Ryan), and found some stuff. Lindsay even pointed to some pretty sea glass that she helped him carry by stuffing her pockets as he stubbornly carried the few pieces of driftwood he could find to the spot where Sandy had last seen him, so he could pile it all up for easier transport to the car.

“Well, I think this is it, at least that you can carry” – Lindsay stated as they looked at their haul.

“Not too bad”

“Will it be enough?”

“Should be” – he looked at her more closely, watching the way the Sun made her hair shine – “Thanks for the help”

“It was a workout, alright” – she cleared her throat and Ryan suddenly felt overwhelmingly awkward – “So... I think I should head back, my mom will think I’ve run off to L.A. or something” – she tried, and pinked when he could only shrug, not knowing how else to act.

Damn, and he had always thought he was smooth with girls.

“Sorry to keep you out for so long” – he made to say more, perhaps something less silly, when Sandy shouted his name. Much to his horror, it was all too obvious the man had easily spotted Lindsay and, oh, but Ryan did not like his wide, unabashed grin.

“Hey!” – he greeted, almost running to meet them. He looked between the teens with obvious interest – “Hi, I’m Sandy” – he extended a still wet hand to Lindsay, who gingerly took it.

“Hi, I’m Lindsay” – she glanced at Ryan as she lowered her hand after shaking Sandy’s – “We... Go to school together”

“Oh! Cool, cool, that’s– Yeah, great! So, were you enjoying the early Sun like Ryan here or trying to get some workout out of the way?”

“I was... Jogging a little, I guess” – Sandy looked at the pile of wood nearby curiously – “And I helped Ryan with–”

“My school project” – the blond finished.

“Huh, school project involving... Is that driftwood?” – Sandy asked bemusedly – “Didn’t think Harbor was into that kind of thing”

“... Yeah, me either” – Lindsay looked utterly lost, and Ryan hoped she didn’t blow his cover.

“Hum, I should be going now” – she attempted.

“No! No, wait” – Sandy exclaimed – “Why don’t you come with us? We’re gonna go grab something to eat. Ryan doesn’t mind, right?” – at that moment, Ryan was a thousand percent sure that Seth was a mini–Sandy because, damn, but that sounded like him.

“Of course not” – he finally said, grinning at Lindsay.

“I wouldn’t want to impose” – she said hesitatingly.

“Nonsense! The more the merrier”

“I... I need to call my mom, she’ll worry”

“Then call her. C’mon, while we take all of this back to the car” – he looked and sounded so bright Ryan was randomly glad Sandy was such a good guy; he would make a terrifyingly successful kidnapper or something, he was so good at talking people into doing what he wanted.

And then Ryan remembered what he did for a living, and he sobered up a little.

“You don’t have to, if you don’t want to” – Ryan told Lindsay quietly as Sandy busied himself with figuring out how to load the car.

“Should I not?” – she asked back, and he wondered what she was actually asking.

“Sandy can be pushy sometimes” – he answered instead. She smiled shyly and he couldn’t not smile back – “But you should definitely come” – he found himself saying.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. But I’ll tell you one thing, Sandy is a liar” – she raised her eyebrows in surprise.

“I’m sorry?”

“Don’t listen to anything he says, they are all lies” – he said in his most serious voice, and Lindsay laughed, picking up on his mischievousness. He didn’t know why he was being so friendly to some girl he barely knew, but she was nice, and he liked her laugh.

“Alright! I think it’ll all be fine until we get home” – Sandy announced happily – “Lindsay, pancakes or waffles?”

“Er... Waffles?”

“Great choice! You know, Ryan’s waffles are really good, you should come over some time” – Ryan and Lindsay traded looks.

“See what I’m saying?” – the boy stated blandly, and she hid a grin as Sandy tilted his head at them.

“Did I miss something?”

“Not at all”


	14. Jolt to the heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kirsten, the Cohens and a Newport party

It had been some time since the Cohens had attended a function, and it was the first one Ryan was to attend. Kirsten had been a little anxious about it, but Sandy and Ryan had assured her that it was inevitable, given the status of the family (and Caleb), and that it would all be alright.

She supposed they were correct.

As usual, Sandy looked dashing in his suit, Seth looked itchy and she had picked out a slick dark green dress. Ryan, though, Ryan looked more stoic than ever.

“Are you sure you want to come? You don’t have to” – she fussed over him as she straightened his tie. He looked at her and smiled tightly.

“It’s okay. Really. I’ll go, I’ll hang out with Seth and Anna, I’ll get something to eat” – he paused – “It’ll work out”

“Dad– Dad is going to be there”

“I assumed so” – he said quietly. She sighed and put a hand on his shoulder.

“I won’t let him drag you away to–” – he looked at her across the mirror and she couldn’t end her sentence.

“It’ll be fine, Kirsten” – Ryan turned and she let her hand fall – “Worst comes to worst, I’ll ask Seth to drive me back” – she snorted.

“He’ll like that, I’m sure, he doesn’t really like these things”

“Don’t worry”

“I can’t help it” – she confessed. He looked himself in the mirror again but said no more.

Down in the kitchen, Seth and Anna were munching on leftover Chinese from lunch, and Sandy was spreading cream cheese on a bagel. Kirsten stared at them, in their beautiful suits and dress, and cleared her throat.

“Want one?” – Sandy asked after a beat.

“No, I would not. Don’t you remember what happened the time I had a snack before last year’s Valentine’s Day party?”

“You ruined your dress and wouldn’t talk to me for days, how could I forget?” – Sandy replied dutifully. Seth snorted and Anna slapped his arm.

“Exactly, so, please be careful”

“Ryan? Bagel? Chinese?” – Sandy offered anyway, much to Kirsten’s annoyance.

“No, thank you, I’ll just have some water, I guess”

“Wise, wise” – Seth piped up, chomping on a greasy spring roll – “You haven’t seen mom going off the handle about stains yet, and you don’t want to, ain’t pretty”

“I just want everyone to look nice, is that so wrong?” – she demanded.

“Yes” – Seth and Sandy said in unison after stopping for a second to think about it. She huffed and accepted a bottled water from Ryan.

“You’re horrible”

“But you love us” – Sandy said sweetly, sliding over to kiss her cheek. Mercifully, he didn’t have cream cheese or crumps on his lips.

“Just a little bit, I suppose”

“Good to know where you stand, ma” – Seth chirped, finally putting the Chinese down. Kirsten had to roll her eyes.

“Are we all done now? Let’s go, please”

“We are definitely driving separately” – Seth announced.

“Yes, we know, dear”

“I don’t like it when you call me that”

“Too bad. Ryan, are you coming with us?”

“Sure?” – he said slowly, glancing at Seth, who simply shrugged.

“Eh, good luck with that, man, you know how dad drives”

“Excuse me? How do I drive?” – Sandy grinned mischievously at the teen.

“Like an old lady”

“Ha, ha, ha”

“I know, I’m hilarious”

“Oh dear” – Kirsten said under her breath as Anna giggled and Ryan smiled – “You’re both hilarious, is that better? Now let’s go before we’re late!”

“So, kid, ready for your first Newpsie shindig?” – Sandy asked as they pulled out of the driveway.

“As ready as I can be”

“Don’t worry, they don’t bite. Much. Now, the girls, the girls I can’t speak to”

“Sandy”

“Well, Anna is a great girl, and–” – he stopped talking abruptly and Kirsten frowned in confusion. Glancing back, Ryan was looking out the window.

She didn’t know how to feel about her husband keeping her brother’s secrets, though she was sure it was nothing bad. Given Sandy’s little smirk, she assumed it had to do with a girl, and she felt odd about the little stirring in her at the thought of her baby brother having a girlfriend. Seth had a girlfriend now (and what a sweet, smart girl Anna was), why not Ryan?

That did not sit well with her, for some reason, but she knew there was nothing she could do about it, she could only hope he picked a good girl, not a wild one like– Well, like most Newport girls seemed to be.

 

“Welcome to the dark side” – Kirsten heard Seth whisper to Ryan and Anna as the fivesome stood near the entrance of the party.

“The dark side looks very formal” – Anna piped up with a coquettish grin.

“And oddly colorful” – Ryan continued.

“In a way” – Sandy added.

“Can we not, please?” – Kirsten requested.

“Is that Julie Cooper?” – Sandy motioned to the red head being a little ignored by a group of Newpsies.

“Well, that’s kinda mean” – Seth commented – “I mean, it’s the Newpsies and all, and it’s Julie Cooper, but...”

“I’m gonna go over there” – Kirsten stated – “Save me a seat?” – she asked Sandy, who grinned widely and kissed her cheek.

“Always”

Kirsten walked over to the Newpsies and put on a smile. Time for battle. God, the things she did for her friends.

“Ladies” – she greeted, putting herself beside Julie.

“Kirsten!” – one of them exclaimed – “I didn’t realize you were coming!”

“Did I give that impression?”

“Oh, no, of course not, we just– I mean, you haven’t been coming around since–” – she cut herself off so abruptly a deaf man could understand her meaning.

“Well, I’m here, as is the rest of my family” – the women turned as one to the Cohen table, where Seth was talking everyone’s ears off already – “Did Marissa and Kaitlin come as well?” – she asked Julie directly, and the red head straightened up in place.

“Kaitlin stayed back at home, she’s still so very young, you know, but Marissa is around somewhere, probably off with Luke and Summer. They are such good kids” – she tacked on, looking superiorly at the Newpsies.

“They are. Would you like to join us? We still have some room” – Julie blinked, as if surprised, and nodded casually – “If you would excuse us, ladies, I fear I must return to my family” – she waved them goodbye and Julie followed her.

“Thank you” – Julie said briefly.

“Any time” – she frowned when she noticed Ryan wasn’t in his seat anymore. Sandy looked up from his drink and winked.

“Hey, Julie”

“Sandy” – she looked around and sat on the lone chair beside Anna – “Hello, children”

“Mrs. Cooper” – Seth waved awkwardly and Anna extended a hand.

“Hello, I’m Anna”

“Hello” – her eyes fell on the obviously empty seat between Seth and Kirsten.

“I fear Ryan has left us for the cool kids” – Sandy announced as Kirsten asked for a glass of wine.

“Oh?”

“He went off with Luke” – Seth added.

“I wasn’t aware they were friends” – Kirsten mused.

“They are both in the soccer team” – Julie pointed out lightly.

“Ryan said he’d come right back” – Seth turned to his mother – “I don’t think he’s gone off to do coke in the bathroom, mom, he’s probably just saying ‘hey’ to the other jocks”

“I did not think he was going to do such a thing!”

“Well, duh, it’s Ryan, have you met him? Besides, Luke is a jackass, but he’s really not that bad”

“Luke is a perfectly nice boy” – Julie objected.

“Sure, if you’re not me” – Seth shot back.

“So! Julie, how about that barbecue?”

“What barbecue?” – Seth snorted.

“Jimmy and I were trying to make it happen, but then we never got around to it, so how about it?”

“Oh, that. Well, you know kids, Marissa always has some party or another, and of course I have my–” – she paused – “Well, I have been a little lighter these days” – she finished, only a tad quieter.

“Ryan could make stuffed mushrooms again” – Seth said after a beat – “Those were good”

“Oh, don’t go and make work for him” – Kirsten asked.

“He likes it! He said so”

“As long as you help him...” – Sandy trailed off with a smirk. Seth groaned as Anna snorted at him.

“That’s what you get” – she stated pointedly.

“Oh look, it’s– Oh crap, it’s granddad and Ryan” – Kirsten instantly looked that way and had to grimace for a moment when she spotted her brother looking down and their dad walking over, his expression somewhat smug.

“Good evening, everyone” – Caleb said, his eyes flickering from person to person, stopping for a beat on Julie – “Kiki”

“Dad. Ryan, honey–”

“I’m going to introduce him to some people” – Caleb interjected, putting a heavy hand on the teen’s shoulder.

“What?”

“Might as well, it’s his first party, after all, it’s as good an opportunity as any”

“Dad–”

“It’s okay, Kirsten” – Ryan told her. His sudden smile was painful to watch, stilted and practiced – “I’ll be right back”

When had he had the time to acquire a Caleb Smile?

“I’ll bring him back in time for the dinner” – Caleb added – “Or he could sit at my table–”

“I... I would rather eat here” – Ryan said evenly. Caleb frowned at him fleetingly then masked it with the ease of a Newport longtime resident.

“Very well. We’ll be right back” – Ryan threw the Cohens a final look before allowing Caleb to guide him away.

“So, how long should I wait before I go and rescue him?” – Seth asked, almost to himself.

“Five minutes?” – Sandy replied.

“Dinner will be served soon” – Kirsten stated softly – “If dad doesn’t–”

“We’ll go and get ‘im, mom, don’t worry” – Seth tried to reassure her, but she was already feeling a terrible amount of guilt in the pit of her stomach – “I’ll make a scene, whatever, granddad will be happy to see us leave”

“Nothing that would require us to bail you out, please” – Sandy chided playfully.

Kirsten let their conversation wash over her as she turned her head to search for Ryan and Caleb. It wasn’t difficult to find them, nor was it hard to see the hard lines of Ryan’s shoulders, and the smile he had firmly in place. Caleb’s shining pride was also very easy to spot, even from afar, as he motioned to Ryan every few moments, no doubt listing his many qualities and academic accomplishments.

“Hun?” – Sandy whispered in her ear.

“Sandy–” – she shook her head and looked back at Ryan.

For the first time since he first came into her house, she utterly hated to see him smile.


	15. Extending a hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seth, Anna, Ryan and Lindsay (and school)

“Stop looking like that” – Anna demanded.

“Like what?” – Seth huffed.

“Like a jealous girlfriend”

“Hey now”

“Just telling you as I see it”

“Well–! I mean, you don’t think this is weird?!”

“That Ryan is making friends that aren’t his nephew and his girlfriend?”

“But it’s Luke! Luke!”

“Yes, his soccer team captain. I still don’t see the issue, so...”

The ‘issue’ being that, from Seth’s point of view, out of absolutely nowhere, Ryan and Luke started being friendly. At first, Seth didn’t really mind it, the blonds just traded greetings as Luke absolutely ignored Seth (though he made sure he flirt with Anna), they didn’t really talk much. Great, whatever, they both played soccer, Ryan was a great guy, Luke was a jerk but there were worse guys in Newport.

And then, Ryan and Luke were partnered in a school project, and just like that, it seemed they took the time to find things in common. That Ryan wouldn’t really tell Seth what they had talked about, or what they did beside their short lived project in order for them to become friends so quickly unnerved Seth to no ends.

Anna, Sandy and Kirsten weren’t particularly sympathetic to his plight to rescue his best friend from Luke’s clutches, however. In fact, his mother outright told him to allow Ryan to make friends, Sandy pointed out that he had Anna now and Ryan could have his own friends, and Anna, well, Anna was biting and dismissive of his (NOT AT ALL!) wild claims that Luke was only trying to drag Ryan into the dark side of Newport, filled with partying and alcohol and drugs and sex and–

(not Seth)

–everything that Seth had always–

(been refused entry to)

–refused to get into. He couldn’t fathom why his parents, in particular his mom, who’d grown up just like Seth (except, you know, popular) and knew how bad things could get when it came to rich, bored and (annoyingly) beautiful teens.

Couldn’t they see that Seth didn’t want that for Ryan?!

“Hey, Ryan” – Anna said, a little louder than usual.

“Hey” – he greeted back, smiling bemusedly.

“What did Luke want?” – Seth couldn’t stop the words from stumbling out, and was rewarded with a heavy glare from Anna and a frown from Ryan.

“He wanted to know if I could tutor him in Math”

“Oh. Are you gonna do it?”

“I told him I’d think about it” – he shrugged – “I do have other stuff to do”

Right, other stuff. Schoolwork, Caleb, his secret (from Kirsten, for the most part) carving and furniture hobby, soccer... Hanging out with Seth, Sandy, Kirsten.

Fine, so Ryan had stuff to do in his life. Fine!

“Ryan, hi” – a red headed girl approached with a shy smile. Seth stared at her until Anna kicked his shin. He threw her a dirty look. Excuse him for being curious about some girl coming up to his best friend!

“Lindsay” – the blond said, smiling a little – “You, ah, wanna sit?”

“Are you sure?” – her gaze moved over to Seth and Anna.

“It’s okay, right?” – he questioned his companions.

“Yes, of course” – Anna replied quickly, and Lindsay hesitantly sat beside Ryan – “Hi, I’m Anna”

“Lindsay” – she looked at Seth. Anna and Ryan looked at him. He sighed.

“Seth” – he finally supplied, and Lindsay looked away with a mild blush.

... Alright, even he had to confess he was being a jackass. He cleared his throat and leaned forward towards her.

“We had English together last year, right?” – he offered, and she nodded slowly.

“You had very interesting ideas about Shakespeare”

“Hey, all I was trying to say was that the guy had issues”

“I am not contesting it, however I think you were the only person willing to get in a fight over Romeo and Juliet” – Seth gasped dramatically as Anna and Ryan snickered.

“Mr. Ho was trying to convince the class that it’s the most romantic story in the history of stories!”

“And you sure told him” – Lindsay stated dryly. Suddenly, Seth realized he could like this girl, if only she could kindly stop making fun of him, he got enough of that from his family and girlfriend, thank you.

“Ooh, I don’t know this story, do tell” – Anna’s eyes sparkled with mischief, and even Ryan couldn’t hide his mirth.

Seth still wasn’t particularly happy about the Luke Friendship, but Seth would be lying if he said he didn’t like Lindsay, even if she seemed to be so easily adept at messing with him.

To his slight surprise, though later he wouldn’t understand why he was surprised, Ryan seemed to like her, and Lindsay seemed to like him back. They were both good looking, she was shy, he was unsure of himself, they were smart, Ryan was something of a jock with a heart of gold, and Lindsay–

“–thirteen! They shouldn’t even be let out of the house at thirteen if they were going to go off with the enemy’s kid!’” – she finished telling the enthralled Anna and Ryan about his little, LITTLE!, squabble with Mr. Ho.

“What happened to Mr. Ho? I don’t think I’ve ever heard of him” – Anna questioned curiously.

“He quit at the end of the year” – Seth answered before Lindsay could, though she snorted.

“I think it was his only choice after what happened during finals” – she added.

“Oh c’mon, not that old story! Even my dad stopped bringing that one up!” – he begged.

“You have to tell us now” – Anna urged, waving a dismissive hand at her boyfriend.

“I’ll tell the story” – Seth interjected.

“We’re all ears” – Ryan said, grinning all too sweetly, the ass.

“Alright, alright, here it is. Mr. Ho and I had that– Disagreement over Romeo and Juliet, and it done and over with–”

“When was this?” – Anna asked.

“It was near the end of the year. Anyway, the finals were about all of Shakespeare tragedies which, yeah, a little overboard even by Harbor standards, but anyway. So we were all writing our answers, everything was well and nice–”

“Until he got to the question on Romeo and Juliet” – Lindsay piped up.

“Hey, I’m telling the story, excuse me”

“Sorry” – she rolled her eyes a little, still laughing a little alongside Ryan and Anna.

“Anyway. The question read, and I quote, ‘Explore Romeo and Juliet’s romance, and explain why it is one of the best depictions of a true love’s story’. And I had to just sit back and take it?”

“Oh Seth” – Anna started giggling, barely able to hang in there. He supposed it was funny, if you weren’t him.

“He stood up” – Lindsay continued when Seth sighed and motioned for her to go on – “Mr. Ho got up, I guess this was what he was expecting, and they started yelling at each other, just– I’ve never seen anything like that, it was amazing to witness, I mean... Obviously no one could possibly finish the final, we were a little too busy watching the spectacle. Dr. Kim came over just in time to hear Mr. Ho say that Seth was going to die a virgin because no one would ever love him, and for Seth to retort that–”

“‘Better a virgin than running off with a thirteen year old girl with a danger kink’” – Seth said with what he hoped was some gravitas.

It was the first time Seth ever saw Ryan laugh so hard, his shoulders shaking as he put a hand over his mouth to try and keep it down. Anna was likewise attempting not to laugh out loud, and Lindsay was amusedly recovering from giggling by fanning herself.

“Mr. Ho... Resigned, and we all had to do a whole new final that Dr. Kim wrote up” – Lindsay managed to complete the tale.

“Yeah, that sucked” – Seth grumbled.

“It wasn’t as difficult as Mr. Ho’s, though. He was a tough teacher”

“Then I’m glad he’s not around anymore” – Anna commented.

“I’m pretty sure Seth is happier than anyone else” – Ryan damn near chirped, just managing to hide what looked like a cat ate the canary smirk.

“You guys suck” – Seth announced, and received only chuckles.

“It’s okay, you’re still super cute” – Anna cooed.

“I don’t think that sounded as nice as you thought it did” – he said flatly.

“Well, that’s on you. Oh, hey, Lindsay, wanna have lunch with us today?” – the red head smiled and nodded.

“I’d love to”

“Great, ‘cause these guys can be a bit much sometimes”

“WE can be a bit–!”

“Hush, hush, the girls are talking now”

Seth shot his uncle, best friend, brother, housemate a long suffering look, but the blond just raised his eyebrows briefly and shrugged indifferently.

Chicks, man.


	16. Zoom, zoom, zoom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sandy, Seth, Ryan and Kirsten (and prep)

“Well, I’m beat” – Sandy moaned over the kitchen island, spreading over it as best as he could while Ryan moved his cutting board to the side and away from Sandy’s wandering and all too fragile fingers.

“This Jimmy case is really difficult, huh?” – Kirsten gently cooed, handing him a beer.

“Oh, you have no idea, and unfortunately, I can’t really discuss the case with anyone other than Jimmy”

“I know, I just wish I could help you, help him! This is all so... Horrible to even think about” – she paused – “Do you think we have enough corn?” – she abruptly asked, squinting. Sandy snorted at the mildly alarmed look Ryan sent her.

“I think we’re good, hun”

“Don’t mock me, you two, I just want everything to go well today”

“And it will! Please don’t worry, that’s my job right now”

“Alright” – Seth announced from the door to the back – “The napkins are set, the cups are all accounted for, the plates are all clean and waiting for food to happen, so when can we eat? I’m starving”

“You are a stack of pancakes this morning, plus eggs, plus bagels” – Sandy pointed out.

“That was hours ago, dad, don’t be ridiculous”

“Wouldn’t wanna do that” – Sandy mournfully got up – “C’mon, kid, let me help somehow” – he begged Ryan, who looked at him, knife and pepper in hand.

“You can start grilling the corn” – he said, almost against his will.

“Thanks, kid” – he mischievously stole away with a pepper slice and out back, slapping Seth on the way for him to assist him in carrying all the corn – “So, Anna is coming, right?”

“Yes, father, she is” – the teen said with a sniff.

“Such a nice girl”

“Yeap, and beautiful, smart, and perfect, I know”

“And, ah” – he motioned his son over and lowered his voice – “What about this Lindsay girl? What is she like?”

“She’s cool. I mean, I don’t really know her or anything... And you’ve met her, you had your little secret post–surfing snack with her, what’re you talking about?”

“No, I know, I just... She was so quiet that day! And you go to school together, you’ve been going to school for a while, right?”

“I guess, and yeah, we have. I mean, I don’t know, she’s really smart, like, really into school stuff and all, and I think she’s a little uptight, but she’s nice” – he grinned a little – “I think our brother–in–law slash uncle really likes her”

“Even Kirsten managed that, kid, c’mon, and she hasn’t met her yet” – Seth rolled his eyes and kept passing him more and more corn.

“They’ll get along, for sure. I think she’s in band or something too”

“Really? Huh. A jock and a band nerd, who would’ve thought”

“And a Jewish Law student with an Orange County Princess, the world sure is weird”

“Enough out of you, mister, and please go and get me the hotdogs and burgers”

“If our Overlord will allow us, sure”

“Hey, I’m the Overlord around here”

“Whatever you say, dad” – Sandy smiled and turned back to the grill, dead set on making sure the Cohen/Cooper & Friends barbecue went smoothly.

“I have been banished from the kitchen” – Kirsten announced grumpily, drinking some wine.

“You didn’t try to touch Ryan’s things, did you? You know how touchy he gets”

“I just–! I wanted to help!” – she blinked widely at him – “Can I help you?”

“Nope” – she frowned.

“I can’t believe how mean all the men in my life are!”

“We just love you dearly and don’t want to see you get hurt”

“I can turn born just fine!”

“It’s hot, hun” – Sandy warned playfully and really, really not.

“Oh, give me that” – she huffed and took the tong from him – “See? It’s not that– Ow! Ah, ow!” – she hissed when she accidently touched the grill.

“It’s okay, it’s okay, just– Go and put some ice on it” – he said as she rushed back into the kitchen.

“Don’t let mom near the grill!” – Seth screamed from inside.

“Just–! Just help your mother!”

Ryan came over a little while after, and Sandy looked over at him guiltily.

“Is Kirsten okay?”

“She’s fine, it wasn’t that bad a burn” – the teen replied soothingly. He set down the two bowls of overflowing salad on the nearby table – “Need help with anything else?”

“Well, Seth never did come back with the burgers and hot dogs”

“I’ll go and get them”

“What’s he doing, anyway?”

“Anna just got here” – Ryan answered somewhat awkwardly.

“Please let ‘im know I want him to come over and help, not lock himself up in his room”

“Will do”

Eventually, Ryan, Seth and Anna came out back, plus a clearly shy Lindsay in the back of the line.

“Anna! Lindsay!” – Sandy greeted happily as Ryan and Seth put the burgers and hot dogs on the counter.

“Hi, Mr. Cohen” – the blonde retorted, coming up near the grill – “Ooh, I love corn on the cob”

“Right? Who doesn’t?”

“Thank you for inviting, Mr. Cohen” – Lindsay said quietly.

“Any time, we’ve a pretty open door policy around here, so you’re welcome to come whenever” – he shot Ryan a quick look, but the kid didn’t take the bait.

“Is there anything else we should get?” – Anna questioned.

“Just the drinks and buns” – Ryan promptly answered.

“I’ll help you” – Lindsay stated quickly and the duo went in the kitchen.

“So, Anna, how do you like your burger?” – Sandy asked with a grin.

“She’s a vegetarian, dad, remember?” – Seth pressed.

“Oh, yeah, forgot about that” – he looked around the counter – “Huh, would you look at that, I guess Ryan made some veggie burgers too. What a kid, right?”

“He is sweet like that” – she easily agreed, and Sandy liked her all the more for it.

Soon enough, Kirsten joined them, with the Coopers, Summer and Luke trailing after them uncertainly.

“I brought guacamole!” – Julie announced, and Marissa and Summer held up bags of chips in almost practiced unison.

“Awesome, who can say no to guacamole?” – Sandy flashed them all smiles – “The corn is pretty much done, please help yourselves, and the burgers and hot dogs are coming right out”

“Need help?” – Ryan asked, standing close to Lindsay.

“Nah, lay back, you’ve already worked enough for one day. Seth can help me, if needs be”

“Oi” – Seth complained, but Anna hit him in the chest and smiled sweetly at Sandy.

“He’ll be happy to help you, Mr. Cohen”

“Thanks, Anna”

“Don’t turn my girlfriend against me!”

“Don’t be lazy”

“Who needs something to drink?” – Kirsten said over the bickering. Jimmy raised a hand right away.

All in all, with the two groups of kids slowly mingling, and Kirsten, Jimmy and Julie to the corner drinking away, Sandy had to smile to himself. It was going to be a good day after all.

“Is something burning?” – Ryan asked out loud.

“Damnit!” – Sandy cursed and rushed to get the burning corn out of the grill.


	17. Yards to go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan carves

Ryan stared down at the oddly shaped piece of wood that was supposed to be a table leg. Catherine had told him carving wasn’t an easy skill to pick up, he knew that, but she made it so easy and smooth, and after their handful of lessons, he thought he had picked up enough to do the one homework she had given him.

He thought wrong, it seemed.

The top of the table wasn’t all that bad, actually, he had managed to work with it enough to flatten it enough that when he tried to put a glass on it, it didn’t slide right off. When he told Catherine, she praised him and told him he was doing a great job, which he had to correct her and state he was doing an apt job, it was far from being something he would willingly share with anyone other than her, and only because he couldn’t quite get away with not doing it. Something in the way she looked at him made him want to shove the top onto her and ask her to forget about it, however he only mumbled he needed to leave and fled. Mercifully, Seth only helped him load it into the car and didn’t even comment on it.

‘I wonder why grandpa hasn’t buy you a car yet’ – Seth had commented absently as they drove off, and Ryan had nothing to say to that. Nothing nice, or that didn’t sound defensive and bitter and angry.

It was weird enough to be shuttled around by Seth, or the Cohens, not having to wait at the bus station or riding his bike everywhere, he didn’t want to consider what having his own car would be like, and a car from his father was too much. The allowance he got from him was too much, but he was using it for his carving lessons and instruments, and though he felt somewhat guilty about it, at least it was something he could, maybe, who knew, put to good use. What use would a car have other than for him to be mobile?

He hoped Seth didn’t mention it to Caleb, or his parents, because Ryan also didn’t want a car from Kirsten and Sandy; he was a little surprised they hadn’t tried to give him one, and was glad it hadn’t even crossed their mind.

Regardless, car or no car of his own (hopefully no car), he continued trying to make a table from scratch. He was using the pool house, which Seth assured him many a times was ‘a–okay’ to use, since no one stayed there anyway, and even helped Ryan put the bed to the side so he would have enough space to work with, and so he wouldn’t accidentally damaged it.

As he worked in silence, hiding behind the pulled down blinds, Ryan considered his life in the O.C. so far.

Caleb was still trying to push his way into his life, with little success, Kirsten, Sandy and Seth were the best, Ryan even felt a little shy about liking them so much, he got along very well with Anna, who seemed to have a very misplaced fondness for him that he couldn’t understand for the life of him, Lindsay was a great friend to have around Harbor, as he couldn’t possibly expect Seth and Anna to always be there for him (though they often were anyway). Then there were... The others.

Luke was his soccer captain, and though arrogant and a bit of a bully, he had a softer side he tried to ruthlessly hide, but Ryan could tell he wasn’t a terrible guy after all, he wasn’t like some of the guys he’d gone to school with all his life, he wasn’t necessarily malicious, he was just a little dumb and caught up in the O.C. teen politics, as Lindsay dryly put it sometimes. That became even more apparent when he openly discussed his sex life with girls who were not his long time girlfriend, the stunning but, in Ryan’s opinion, a little flighty Marissa Cooper. He’d talked to her a little bit at the Cohen–Cooper barbecue, and Summer, and though he didn’t think they were as superficial as one might think at first glance, they also were as immersed in the perfect O.C. picture as Luke, as Julie Cooper, as Caleb were.

Once upon a time, Ryan was pretty sure he would had fallen head over heels over Marissa’s ethereal smiles and clear emotional fragility (he HAD heard about Tijuana, after all), or Summer’s strong but effervescent personality that only just managed to mask her sweetness. As it were, Ryan was content with being on a friendly enough basis with them and Luke. While he didn’t think it necessary, he thought it wasn’t the worst idea to keep in touch with the more, quote unquote, popular kids. As much as he cared for Seth, Anna and Lindsay, as great and funny and smart as they were, he had been in the O.C. long enough to know that there was a game being played all the time, it started early in life, and he had years to make up for it.

He doubted anyone would agree with him, however he had an inkling Kirsten would understand, she had her Newpsie friends, after all, and if that wasn’t some kind of adult game, he didn’t know what it was. From the little she had allowed him to be exposed to, they weren’t exactly the kind of people someone like Kirsten would be around without a good enough reason.

With a critical eye, he sat on the pool house floor and took a little break. Catherine had commented on how dedicated he was, but warned him that it wasn’t all good, he had to be careful not to overdue it and hurt himself in the process. Ryan didn’t admit that he had worked at a construction site the Summer before he got busted with Trey and nearly died in pain some nights after a long, unforgiving day. He didn’t tell anyone about that, Trey had only soothed him long enough before he left, and Dawn– Well. So he heeded Catherine’s warnings, somehow knowing that none of the Cohens would be so cool with him overworking himself.

In the quietness, Ryan started to really think about what he was doing. What the hell was he supposed to do with the table once it was finished? It was something of a miracle Kirsten and Sandy hadn’t found out about his little project, between the morning where he picked up the wood, to the afternoons with Catherine, to Seth being his mute co–conspirator, and the pool house they’d turned into his sort of studio. But once he finally managed to get his table ready... Then what? Catherine wouldn’t want it, she had more than enough furniture at her place to want his amateur work, and the Cohens–

No, why would they care for it? Everything in the Cohen residence was beautiful and expensive and smooth, his table would certainly be none of those, it would remain rough and crude and ugly. Catherine, she had a beautiful eye, and amazing talent, and even Kirsten had commented on the exquisite details on the coffee table Anna had bought and nearly thrown at him afterwards (much to his absolute mortification as Seth looked on with a shrug). He kept it in his room, and sometimes he would run his hand through all the intricate carvings, wondering how long it had taken her to do them all, and if he would ever be able to do anything nearly as lovely.

What a thought! Ryan Atwood doing such delicate work. His hands were made more for sanding and moving furniture than being kind and careful to it. For a moment, something came over him and he thought about asking Seth for a ride, asking him to move all the wood into his car, used and yet to be used, he considered giving it all to Catherine, including the few tools he’d bought, he wondered if she would hate him for wasting her time, for promising to give it a chance–

With a sharp nod, Ryan finished his water and placed a hand on the now smooth surface of the tabletop. The legs would demand a lot of attention and long hours getting them just right, and definitely until they were straight and the same size so the table was leveled, however a part of him really wanted to it done up, to see it finished, to see if he could do it after all. Crafts had never been his thing, unless it was for school and even then, he had never really... Worked at it.

Maybe once he was done, he would show it to Kirsten and Sandy. Maybe Anna wouldn’t mind his unsophisticated first project, maybe he could repay her generosity with a work from his own hands, maybe even Lindsay wouldn’t mind it.

He got up and picked up a chisel and gently put it on the one table leg that wasn’t horribly ugly or misshapen, and with a sigh, he pressed onto it.


	18. Point blank

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kirsten and a realization

Kirsten was tired. She looked pointedly at the number of unread e–mails before her and then at her phone, and with a deep sigh, she picked it up and dialed home. Sandy was understanding as usual, and joked that it was just as well, and he would wrangle up the kids for a nice boys night in, whether they wanted to or not. She had to smile at his attempt to cheer her, however the work ahead of her was enough for a headache to come over her.

She was happy, really, she was, that the Newport Group was so successful, and that her father trusted her enough to shove so much responsibility onto her, however it was hard not to resent him for it. He didn’t have a family to go home to, she did.

It was possible she was still a little bitter and irritated about the Ryan situation to be able to be particularly kind to him, even in her head. For all that Caleb was trying, in his own way, anyone could tell it wasn’t working, and he kept at it, getting more and more quietly outraged as Ryan refused to truly let him in. For all that Caleb was the picture of stoicism and hidden feelings, Kirsten saw right through him, and his irritation was making her on edge. Sandy tried to assure her it wasn’t so, Caleb was only trying to be a dad to Ryan, in the only way he knew how, and she had nothing to worry about.

Sandy was the best of men and Kirsten adored and trusted him fully, but he was out of his mind. He knew Caleb, he had gently heard her talk about her upbringing and how difficult it was to try and bond with a hard man like Caleb Nichol, Sandy should know better, and yet, he had only ever felt the brunt of Caleb’s cold shoulder and disapproval for not being good enough for Kirsten (whatever that meant, did he really want to see her with someone like him?), he had never had to feel the utter disappointment of being Caleb Nichol’s eldest daughter, the responsible one, the good one.

And now he had a brand new child to mold, to pressure, to thrust into the spotlight even though Ryan was clearly ill equipped and more importantly, completely uninterested in being a proper O.C. heir, and it made the glow of the computer screen all that more maddening. Sandy told her she was working too hard, and left out that he couldn’t understand why she gave so much of herself to Caleb, to the Newport Group, when it was obvious Caleb would never give her what she wanted.

That what she wanted from him was the same thing she had ever wanted from him made her want to throw back a few glasses of wine.

What really made her almost unable to keep working was the fact that she wanted to run home and curl up against Sandy and tell him that she didn’t care about the Newport Group anymore, she didn’t care to stay behind and be the good boss, the good daughter, the good little working bee. What she truly wanted was to watch over her children, because Ryan had slowly but surely wormed his way into her motherly heart, and while she still loved him like and treated him like a little brother, he also felt like the golden haired son she never had (though that sometimes made her giggle at the thought of Seth and Ryan being twins, and how they would have destroyed their way through Newport by now), she wanted to see Seth poke fun at Ryan and Sandy and himself, and her, she wanted to munch on take out and close her eyes to the sounds of her boys bickering and laughing and–

With a strength Kirsten didn’t know she could ever have in her, Kirsten grabbed a blank piece of paper and started writing like a mad woman. Once she was over, it was like something had lifted off of her shoulders, and she couldn’t help but smile widely as she turned her computer off, got her bag and walked off. She paused over her father’s desk for the longest moment in her life, then gently put the sheet of paper over the keyboard.

When she got home, it was a mad house. Seth was screaming at the top of his lungs, laughing maniacally as Sandy moaned like he’d been shot, and she could spot Ryan’s golden head over the Monopoly board. She should have known, if there was one sure thing to rile Sandy and Seth up, it was Monopoly. Her brother and son was the first to see her, and he smiled openly, happily, and Kirsten wanted to wrap her arms around that innocent gleefulness that he had taken so long to show them. Instead, she went over to the couch and dropped down as her husband and son continued arguing over both of their ‘cheating ways’ (which was fair, they were both huge cheaters).

Ryan looked at her with curiosity and questioned whether she was hungry, they had ordered pizza and Chinese. She nodded and patted beside her. He hesitated but sat, and they stared out into the darkening sky.

This was what she truly wanted and needed in her life, even more so when she took Ryan’s hand and he didn’t even make to pull away. No, he just looked away with a shy, endearing grin, and then Seth started running off with what she could only guess was Sandy’s property cards and money, and the man was hot on his heels.

Eventually, she would have to really think about what she had just done, and the hurricane that was to follow in the morning when Caleb came into the office and read her letter, though she couldn’t bring herself to care one bit when Ryan tentatively squeezed her hand back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 999 words =O lol


	19. Valiant efforts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seth and Ryan (sit around)

Seth had to wonder how one’s life could get dragged into a hurricane without one even noticing it was possible. The hurricane being his grandfather’s absolute and unstoppable rage after it came to light that his mom resigned from the Newport Group via letter.

Silently, Seth had to marvel at it, to have the guts to cut away from Caleb Nichol, though it was brilliant to try and do it through a letter ‘cause he was pretty sure one of them would’ve left the room in a body bag. His mom was cool, calm and collected, or she usually was, but he had heard more than witnessed some of the most fiery fights between Caleb and Kirsten, he knew how vicious they could get.

The moment Caleb stormed into the Cohen home with the strength of ten pissed off men, Sandy quickly shooed the boys off of the kitchen, telling them to grab the car keys and go anywhere else, literally anywhere else. He’d let them know when it was safe to return, and Seth barely had the time to grab his jacket before Sandy locked the door behind them. Ryan winced at the increasingly louder voiced inside, and Seth frowned confusedly when Ryan automatically flinched the moment Seth tried to pull him towards the car. The blond shook himself, though, and rushed to the vehicle without a word.

For a normally quiet person, it was disconcerting how silent he could be. Seth tried to make small talk, to fill the car with conversation, however the blond just looked out, emitting an aura of ‘DON’T EVEN’. After a while, Seth gave up and kept driving, not sure where he should go. He thought about calling Anna, maybe Lindsay, asking them to join them, but his girlfriend had a thing with her family, and Ryan’s sort–of–but–not–exactly–girlfriend mentioned the day before she was going away with her mom to visit some ailing relative or something.

So they were on their own. Alone. Just the two of them.

Somehow, Seth didn’t think it was going to go that well.

For all that they had spent a huge amount of time together since Ryan came to live with them, for all that Seth considered Ryan his best friend, they hadn’t actually spent time alone, just them, talking about anything beside school and videogames and movies and girls (or girl, Anna, because Ryan refused to talk about Lindsay). Even after months, Seth knew very little about Ryan. He had to give it to his uncle, he could be very sneaky.

Eventually, he drove to a park he went a few times with his dad when he was younger and Sandy decided Seth needed some fresh air. It looked about the same, grassy, with kids running around, old people playing checkers and chess. Ryan stoically stood beside him, and Seth randomly, almost cruelly wondered if Chino had anything near as beautiful and peaceful. Seth had never been anywhere near Chino, of course, so he could only wonder, but Ryan sometimes seemed so... Curious about certain things that Seth had to cut his curiosity way down, if his parents’ resigned, kind of sad looks were anything to go by.

They sat on a bench and Seth felt fidgety and awkward all of a sudden. The usual bubbles of excitement within him had been burst by Caleb, and he didn’t know what to talk about with Ryan, if it wasn’t something that he was interested in, something that didn’t matter that much, something that wasn’t the burning in Seth’s stomach at the thought of his grandfather screaming at his mom and her yelling right on back.

Should he ask Ryan about what he was doing in the pool house? He had not asked a single thing, no matter how many times he helped Ryan load and unload his driftwood and stray pieces of wood his teacher gave him, or after he helped him clear out the pool house, or when he noticed the blisters and calluses on Ryan’s hands. Anna wanted to ask Ryan all about it, Seth knew, but he had told her not to, though he still didn’t know why. She had been the one to silently encourage Ryan to do it, after all, she should be the one to want to know more about it, however Seth couldn’t let her.

In the end, they didn’t say anything. Ryan seemed to watch the kids laughing and trying to catch one another, and Seth wondered if he was thinking about the friends he left behind, or of growing up with his older brother. Was he a good big brother, once? Before he pushed Ryan into a life of petty crime? Did he play with him? Seth couldn’t imagine having a brother, older or younger, he couldn’t fathom not being the focus of his parents’ love and care all his life until Ryan came and Seth didn’t even notice a difference because his dad still teased him at every turn, and his mom still asked after his schoolwork and raised an eyebrow at him in the mornings when he was particularly messy; all that really changed was that Caleb came to the house every week, and they always had mountains of food in the house (because even without Ryan cooking, Kirsten was always on everyone’s case about eating more – good thing too, Seth could tell Ryan was this close to rebelling about being singled out into eating until he burst).

It was weird, not saying anything for so long, not talking to Ryan, his best friend, not pointing out and making fun of the many, many people around them all, and yet, Seth mused whether it would feel any better to talk and talk and have Ryan be a wall of silence. For all that people often joked that he could talk to plants, Seth liked a little give and take too, and Ryan was not in a giving mood. Maybe for the first time ever, and Seth... Didn’t care for it. THAT was weird, that was super weird, the weirdest.

After what felt like a lifetime and a half, Sandy called and told them the coast was clear and they could return if they wanted to. Seth confirmed he understood and hung up, then turned to Ryan and asked whether he wanted to hang out a little more before they headed back, and Seth could read the hesitation before the blond had enough time to reply, so he interrupted him and proposed a trip to the Crab Shack for burgers and fries. Maybe they could be nice and get some for the parentals, what did Ryan think?

Ryan smiled bashfully and nodded.

Sure, Seth didn’t think even the Crab Shack’s burgers and fries could heal all, as some might think, but they couldn’t hurt.


	20. Keen on it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sandy and the aftermath

Sandy puzzled over the state of his life.

His lovely wife had very suddenly quit from the Newport Group, and while he could almost see the nervousness when she told him, he could also tell she was so relieved and excited about the possibilities now wide open before her that he could only laugh and hug her, saying that it was just as well, she had never truly wanted to work for her father, which she quietly nodded at. That night, they were up late, talking about the future only half the time, if you know what I mean, and Kirsten couldn’t quite stop herself from grinning widely at the thought of doing literally anything she wanted to for the rest of her life.

Naturally, Caleb burst into the house the next day, demanding an explanation to her resignation letter. Sandy urged the boys to go out, and prepared to stand by his wife no matter what accusation and cruel remark Caleb threw at her, and even him.

Much to his slight surprise, Kirsten yelled right back at Caleb, standing her ground and stating over and over again how badly she was being crushed under the weight of responsibility at the Newport Group, since she was given more work than anyone else in her place would be. Caleb expertly threw every answer back, listing all the things she had been able to do and have access to because she was Caleb’s daughter, and that got Kirsten going even more heatedly, because she had worked hard for it, Caleb knew it, everyone knew it, and Caleb had better appreciate her.

Not for the first time, Sandy marveled at the amazing woman he was married to.

It went on for close to two hours, with water breaks (which was fair enough). Eventually, father and daughter stopped screaming, if only perhaps for their throats, and started having a very tense, angry and hurtful discussion that cut into Sandy in a way he absolutely hated, so he couldn’t imagine how Kirsten was feeling. Caleb was the one person who truly knew how to get to her, and he pushed every single button in order to get what he wanted – and Caleb wanted Kirsten back, badly. The bad news was that she had made her decision, and Sandy wondered how Caleb could forget how stubborn his kid could be.

Caleb and Kirsten alike looked destroyed when they finally broke apart. For all that Sandy didn’t really like Caleb, not that recent events had helped any, he felt a little bad for him, he was really showing his age; the man was not a young man anymore, by far, and between discovering a teenage son and his steady daughter leaving him with no warning, he was definitely not having the best couple of months.

Sandy tersely invited Caleb to stay for lunch, however the man stiffly refused, throwing Kirsten a look before leaving.

She invited him to join her in the kitchen for a drink, and Sandy couldn’t possibly refuse – after such an excruciating Caleb Visit, he could use a drink or two.

As they drank and lightly discussed the future, almost entirely cutting Caleb out of it all, Sandy saw a glimpse of the shy and haughty girl he fell in love with back in college, bright and finally free from Caleb as she yet hadn’t been the night before, anticipating all that her life could turn out to be. Sure, the Newport Group gig provided them with a very affluent, comfortable life, and now they had a second son to worry about, however the happy color on Kirsten’s cheeks was the thing that mattered the most, and Sandy could only teasingly suggest new careers for his lovely wife, who laughed so carelessly he painfully wondered since when she had been suffocating that now she was so relaxed.

He had no doubts that life wouldn’t quite be the same from now on for anyone in the Cohen household, and yet, as Kirsten leaned in to kiss him, it was pretty darn difficult to consider the bad possibilities for their future, because if his wife’s current happiness was any indication, things were going to work out in the end after all.


	21. Fastidious manners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan, Sandy and costumes

It was Halloween, and Ryan had to wonder if it also meant he had stepped into an alternative dimension the moment he walked into the kitchen and found it covered in fake spider webs with rubber spiders, pumpkins, witch dolls, a multitude of black cloth and a couple of speakers playing spooky sounds.

Perhaps he should have listened to Seth and believed him when he told him how into Holidays the Cohens could get.

“Ryan!” – Kirsten greeted, and he almost stepped away from her.

“Hey” – she was wearing a white dress and her white wings were almost knocking over one of the witch dolls.

“Good morning!” – Sandy announced, grinning widely, showing off his fake vampire teeth, and spreading his arms, holding onto his large cape.

“Dude! No, that’s all wrong!” – Seth whined, rushing from behind his dad in a The Flash outfit – “Why aren’t you dressed?! It’s Halloween!”

“Okay?”

“You said you were going to take him shopping for a costume!” – Kirsten chided her son.

“Sorry, I forgot, geez, relax, mother”

“Don’t even, mister”

“Alright, alright” – Sandy shushed them – “Hey, son, wanna come with me and get something? I can’t promise there’ll be any nice costumes left, but I’m sure we can find you something suitable” – he eyed his wife for a moment and she huffed.

“Oh, stop it!” – she turned to Ryan – “This is just my morning costume, I’m changing later”

“... Why?” – he asked hesitantly.

“Mom as an Angel is way too obvious, the blond locks and all” – Seth piped up.

“Oh. Hum, I don’t actually need a costume. Do I?”

“Of course you do! For the party!” – Kirsten stated happily – “It will be really fun! Is Lindsay coming?”

“Yes, she is. I’m not sure she knows it’s a costume party, though”

“I think she mentioned something to Anna about it, don’t worry, she knows” – Seth reassured him.

“Then I guess it’s just me” – Ryan managed to smile at Sandy – “I mean, if it’s not too much trouble...”

“Nonsense! Besides, we are not cooking today, so it’s just as well that we get out of Kirsten’s hair, right honey?” – she raised an eyebrow at him.

“I wouldn’t mind some help, but Ryan does need a costume, so I suppose I can forgive it this one time” – her expression was somewhat serious, but her lips twitched and before she turned away from Ryan, he saw her grin – “But eat something first, sweetie”

After they all ate, Seth escaped, stating he had stuff to do to get his costume in ‘top shape’, and Sandy practically pushed Ryan out the door in order as Kirsten started bustling about, grabbing her phone and seemingly starting on getting the party off the ground.

“So, what do you wanna wear, you think?” – Sandy asked after they drove away from the house – “You don’t really have to go all out” – he said kindly – “But Kirsten and Seth are really alike in this, you must’ve noticed”

“Yeah, I guess, and no, I haven’t”

“Worst case scenario, we’ll get some pirate puffy shirt, pour red wine on it and you can borrow my cape and be a vampire”

“What are you wearing, then?”

“Ah, that’s a secret! We would need to grab some teeth, no reusing teeth, sorry. Oh. Or you could just get a mask and wear a robe or something– Wait, no, I don’t think Kirsten would appreciate you walking around like an extra from Eyes Wide Shut. Which I absolutely did NOT let you boys watch that one time”

“Of course”

“We’ll think of something. Serious, worst case, you wear a suit and a mask, done. Simple and classic”

Ryan smiled at his brother–in–law–and–sort–of–paternal–figure–on–the–down–low and changed the radio station. Sandy squawked and pouted, grumbling that no one appreciated his love for show tunes, but he made no move to change the station back. Seth and Anna had been trying to expand Ryan’s musical tastes, and though they had not been entirely successful in their endeavors, he had to confess he could appreciate rock and alt rock (he doubted he would ever have the same kind of fervor and interest as the couple, however).

The drive was peaceful as usual, with the sounds of people jogging, riding their bikes, walking their dogs, and eventually he heard the distant sounds of the ocean as Sandy commented they were approaching the costume shop.

“Welcome to Paradise” – Sandy announced in a much grander manner than usual. Ryan wondered if the cape made him fall into such a behavior, and he wished he could get it on tape, it was pretty funny – “C’mon, c’mon, let’s see what they got! Ooh, I think we’re in luck, it’s still pretty packed!”

Much to Ryan’s confusion, there were more options than he thought possible. Anything from superheroes to horror characters, movie and TV characters to professions, animals to and creatures to historical–type.

Last time he put on a costume, he was Snoopy, and it was nowhere near as elaborate as most things all around him.

“How about something easy to move in? Or do you want something like a mascot? I think they have a few lying around” – Sandy proposed.

“I don’t think I would be comfortable in a head piece” – he managed to smile at Sandy’s clear high spirits.

“I thought so. Seth loves his full on masks, but I think it’s way too hot”

“I’m sure it is”

“How about a cowboy? Do you have boots?”

“I– No, but I don’t need–”

“Or a doctor? Nothing is easier than scrubs and comfortable shoes”

“I guess... That would be okay”

“Although I don’t think the wife will be happy about that, she’s kinda picky about Halloween”

“Is she?”

“Yeap. Her mom loved Halloween, so I guess it infected her, and she infected Seth” – Ryan made sure not to look him up and down – “Ooh. Cop. Cop! I think that would look great on you, just wear your dress shoes, slick your hair back, done. How about it, kid?”

“I... Sure?”

“Great! C’mon, let’s see if they have your size... And you have to try it on, see how it fits”

Ryan followed him as he asked the owner, who was very friendly and dressed as a Star Trek character, for a cop uniform for ‘his kid’. The teen wasn’t sure how he felt about it, but he just stayed quiet and waited for the costume to be shoved into his hands.

A cop, how ironic. Sandy hadn’t even sounded sarcastic about it, and Ryan... Sort of liked that; he had no doubt, however, that some of the Newport crowd would have plenty to whisper about. Then again, he thought with a slight grimace, he knew they didn’t need much of a reason in order to gossip about him, Caleb Nichol’s illegitimate, criminal teenage son who tried and failed to fit in.

“Hey, Ryan, what do you think?” – Sandy asked, presenting the kid with the vision of a low rent Zorro.

“That’s... An interesting look” – he was able to say with a straight face. Sandy deflated and gave the mask and hat back to the smirking owner.

“I told you it’s not your look, Cohen! Your son, though... He might actually be able to pull it off, wanna try, kiddo?”

With a hesitant hand, Ryan reached out and took the hate first and put it on, then slowly got the mask and tied it in the back. He blinked at Sandy, suddenly feeling shy and out of place.

“Ah, that’s the one! It looks so great!” – the lawyer darn near gushed, pulling Ryan towards a full length mirror.

To his surprise, it didn’t look awful at all.

“A cape, a sword, bam, you’re done” – Sandy put a hand on his shoulder and Ryan felt odd at its warmth – “Nice going”

“It doesn’t look ridiculous?” – the man and the owner snorted.

“Didn’t think you’d have a humble kid, Cohen” – the owner mused.

“Hey now. But seriously, Ryan, do you like it?”

“I...” – he paused and looked himself in the mirror again – “I like it” – he answered at last, and Sandy smiled broadly.

“Then done. Scotty, get us a sword and we’re outta here”

“Don’t call me ‘Scotty’, I’m not ‘Scotty’” – the owner frowned.

“He’s McCoy” – Ryan commented, almost absently.

“Who?”

“Dr. McCoy” – Ryan turned to blink at the confused Sandy – “Bones. He’s wearing blue, Scotty wears red”

“I never really paid much attention, I guess” – Sandy confessed with a shrug.

“Nice going, kid” – the owner complimented – “And for that, ‘cause your dad is kind of a spaz–”

“Hey!”

“– I’m throwing the mask for free. It suits you, kiddo”

“Thank you” – Ryan answered, a little awkward at the kindness of a stranger.

“Ah, I see how it is. It’s not my fault I’m not into Star Trek!”

“It’s easy, c’mon. Kirk, Sulu and Chekov wear yellow, Scotty and Uhura wear red, Spock and McCoy wear blue. Admit it, Cohen, you just have a bad memory”

“Ha, ha. Just ring the cape, the hat and the sword up, will you?”

“Oh, wait, I have money” – Ryan protested, removing the mask and cape.

“What? No, no, c’mon” – he motioned the teen over and put an arm around him like he often did to Seth (though he escaped from it a split second later every time) – “I’m the dad, I’ll pay” – he cleared his throat – “I mean, you know. I’m not– Exactly your– You know what I mean, right?”

“I know” – Ryan said quietly, and Sandy squeezed him a little.

“You can pay for our pre–party snack, how about it? I mean, don’t tell Kirsten, but you can’t live off of canapés and candy, I don’t care if it’s Halloween”

“Done” – Sandy squeezed him one last time and let him go.

Ryan felt cold for a moment, but shook himself off of it.

“Here we go, one perfectly plastic sword” – ‘McCoy’ stated, slapping Sandy away and handing it to Ryan – “Have fun, kiddo, and don’t kill anyone”

“You’re not as funny as you think”

“Neither are you, Cohen, but I’m nice enough not to mention it”

“You just did”

“I’m a Doctor, not an English teacher, back off”


	22. Operating under pressure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kirsten and the Halloween party

“You’re frowning” – Sandy whispered in Kirsten’s ear, and she sighed.

“I know, I just–”

“It’s alright, honey, nothing bad is gonna happen tonight, the party is going to be a smashing success, and I will not need to bail anyone out of jail. Or I better not, that’s never fun” – she had to laugh a little at his attempt at humor.

Their Halloween party was in full swing when Caleb walked in wearing a suit, a bright red bowtie and a mask he soon gave up on. He greeted Kirsten with a civility she hadn’t experienced in a long time, his rage at her resignation still pouring out of him. His eyes searched Ryan, and he looked surprised by the teen’s Zorro costume; without much more, he strode over to his son.

Even from afar, Kirsten could see the sharp lines of her brother’s shoulders as he tensed up, and the pride in their father’s stance. Perhaps he was reminiscing about his youth, because since the first moment she saw him, it was impossible to ignore the similarities between father and son. She narrowed her eyes when Caleb motioned over to some business associates, however Seth loudly stated it was a party, a Halloween party at that, and he wanted to hang out with his uncle/brother. The addition of ‘brother’ made Caleb freeze, Kirsten noticed, and as he stomped away in a huff, she had to hold back from rushing to speak to him.

When she told Sandy she was going to invite Caleb to the party the week before, he expressed his concern, but after she told him of her deep fear that if she started pushing him away he might come and take Ryan from them, he instantly agreed with her. As much as neither said it much, they had both embraced Ryan’s presence in their lives, they both adored the shy, sweet boy, and they wouldn’t do anything to give Caleb a reason to tear their new family unit apart. Seth alone would become a hurricane of ire, and they didn’t want that.

Over the course of the party, Caleb pulled Ryan away from the teens a couple of times, managing to wrangle time to show him off, even to speak to him one on one, though each time Seth or Anna went over to rescue Ryan, much to the blond’s clear relief. Lindsay, lovely in a Princess Peach outfit, looked on with concern written across her face, but Kirsten thought it was smart of her not to approach her father, she doubted he would take it well, some girl coming over to take Ryan off his hands.

“I like that girl” – she stated at Sandy when Anna once again managed to smile coyly at Caleb to grab Ryan’s arm and take him back to the other kids.

“What’s not to like? Pretty, smart, and she indulges Seth” – Sandy replied rather dryly. She knew what he meant, of course. Seth had dressed as Scott Summers and Anna as Jean Grey, whatever that meant; it was only clear to her that her son was all the more besotted with his girlfriend for it.

“And Lindsay is so nice”

“Yeah”

“Do you think they’re going to start dating soon?”

“I’d be upset for Seth if Anna dumped him for Lindsay”

“Sandy”

“Sorry, that was too easy. But, I don’t know, I mean, they’re both good kids, she’s very pretty, very intelligent, Ryan would be a fool not to go for it, but...” – he trailed off and shook his head. She gently put his slick Gomez Addams hair back and he smiled lovingly at her.

“It’s good that he has such a good friend” – Kirsten finally said.

“Yeah. I mean, there’s that kid, whatshisface. Luke?”

“Marissa’s boyfriend, yes”

“He’s kind of a jock, and Seth doesn’t like him at all, but he doesn’t seem that bad”

“I suppose”

“Ah, look, speak of the devil”

Luke, Marissa and Summer walked ahead of their parents, dressed much more demurely than their children. Luke moved over to greet Ryan with a friendly punch to the arm, towering over the Zorro in his cop outfit (so it was a good thing her brother hadn’t gone with that costume as well). The blonds talked a little bit, and Ryan seemed perfectly happy about it, and they nodded to one another before Luke broke to join a group of other teenagers.

“Well, my love, shall we show these boring old farts how to have fun?” – Sandy asked with a mesmerizing smirk.

“I’m not sure Gomez talks about people that way, dear”

“He does now. Shall we?” – she couldn’t help but giggle as she put her hand on his and let him lead her away.


	23. X Files situation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seth, Ryan and Luke (as a cop)

There was something about Halloween that seemed to draw out the child in people, and Seth had to admit he was one of those people.

Ryan seemed to be the exception to the rule, though. Nothing new there.

Although his uncle slash best friend was dressed as Zorro, he refused to even unsheathe his plastic sword to play around, no matter how many times Seth begged him. Not even Luke managed it, and the polo player was toting his water gun around and shooting at people with a gleeful disposition usually lacking when around Seth (though he was man enough to concede that Luke hadn’t been too big a jerk in the last couple of weeks, which was kind of jarring), and he tried to goad Ryan into ‘fighting’ back via sword. No luck there, even when Luke playfully took Lindsay ‘hostage’ and demanded a proper ‘duel’ from Ryan. The smaller blond just huffed with a smile and told Luke to stop fooling around.

Much to Seth’s surprise, Luke agreed with a grumble but left nonetheless after patting Lindsay on her fluffy sleeve and begging for forgiveness.

“Why did you even get a sword if you’re not gonna use it?” – Seth asked.

“It still has a sharp tip” – Ryan answered easily.

“It can’t be bad enough to hurt” – Seth countered.

“... No, I guess not” – Ryan conceded. With an almost shy demeanor, he slowly got the sword out. Seth had to give it to Mr. Kaczynski, he always had the best props; it was appropriately shiny, as much as cheap plastic could be, and shaped just right.

“Well, Zorro, come at me!” – Seth tried, and Ryan laughed a little.

“Oh no!” – Anna butted in, striking a very nice pose – “If Zorro is going to fight anyone, it is I, Jean Grey!”

“Why are you talking like that?” – Seth questioned with a snort.

“Shut up. Now, Zorro, if you would just–”

“Wow, Chino, finally getting the claws out, huh?” – Luke skid into the group with a wide grin – “Let’s do this!”

“Ah, excuse me” – Anna said with a raised eyebrow – “He’s going to fight me first, copper, so back off” – Luke looked shocked at her vehemence but put on a flirtatious grin that Seth hated with his entire being.

“Don’t you look nice, who’re you supposed to be?”

“Jean Grey”

“Is that the Phoenix chick?”

“Sorry, what?” – Luke shrugged.

“That’s about all I remember from the cartoon”

“You watched the X–Men cartoon?” – Seth demanded and Luke rolled his eyes.

“Who didn’t, Cohen? Well, I guess I’ll have to wait around, then. I wanna say ‘kick his ass, Jean’, but I want me a piece of the Zorro too, so... At least go easy on him”

With a giggle, Anna stood in front of Ryan with her hands on her hips, staring him down seriously. Ryan posed with his sword in a very good rendition of his alter ego for the day, and they playfully began ‘fighting’. He had to give it to his brilliant girlfriend, she had moved (it was kinda hot). Seth had to blink a little at how happy Ryan sounded when he laughed as he dutifully raised his sword when Anna mimed using her ‘power’ on it.

“Give it up, Zorro!” – Anna exclaimed, barely stopping herself from grinning.

“No way, Jean” – Ryan replied in a very affected manner. Seth had no idea he had it in him, but he liked it!

They ‘fought’ a little more, attracting a small audience consisting mostly of their peers, until Ryan came out on top by gently poking Anna in the stomach. She fell to her knees and wailed that she would have her revenge! Beside Seth, Lindsay was laughing so hard she could barely stand straight, and Seth wasn’t that far away.

“Hell yeah! That was awesome!” – Luke bellowed, clapping with honest and naked amusement. The other kids expressed their congratulations to the winner and loser alike, with Anna bowing gracefully and Ryan adverting his gaze shyly, but his smile was impossible to ignore.

“Ever think about doing drama? You two would be awesome at it” – one of the girls present asked all too seriously.

“Nah, that’s really not my thing” – Anna replied, adjusting her wig.

“How ‘bout you, Chino?” – Seth wondered when ‘Chino’ became so... Fond and friendly out of the mouth of his classmates.

“I’m already busy with... Stuff” – he answered with a headshake.

“You look like you’ve done this before, though” – the girl pressed.

“I... Did a little theater back– Back in Chino” – Ryan confessed, and Seth gasped.

“And you never said anything!” – he exclaimed over their classmates’ interested chatter – “My own uncle, my own brother!”

“You may wanna choose one, ‘cause it’s a little creepy that your uncle’s also your brother” – Lindsay chirped.

“Brother, then, I already have a cool aunt, I need me a cool brother. Dude, what the hell?” – Ryan blinked widely at him for a moment then shrugged.

“It never came up”

“Even all the times dad made us listen to him go on and on about his college days on stage? God, just thinking about that” – he rolled his eyes heavenly.

“Then you should definitely quit soccer and go into drama” – the now obnoxious drama–crazy girl stated.

“Hey, no one’s quitting soccer!” – Luke protested.

“He’s a bench warmer anyway, what do you care?” – she countered.

“I’m his captain, so back away”

“And he could be the lead in a play, so what”

“Don’t come poaching my players” – he growled.

“Whatever, Luke, but I think it’s Ryan’s decision” – they turned to him, and Seth felt bad for him; he certainly wouldn’t want to be stared at that way.

“I, hum...”

“You know what, Shana?” – Seth moved closer to his– His brother – “Luke’s right, stop bugging Ryan and go take a walk. If he wanted to be a drama head, he would be”

“What is it to you, Cohen?” – she huffed – “Jealous your uncle could be a jock and a ‘drama head’?”

“Brother” – Seth corrected automatically – “And you’re being inconvenient and obnoxious right now. Plus, for future reference, Dorothy’s shoes are red”

“I’m Belle!”

“... Of course, my mistake” – Luke snorted.

“Sorry, Shana” – Ryan interjected – “but it’s not gonna happen” – he said gently.

“Well, think about it, when you get tired of bench warming”

“Don’t be a bitch, Shana” – Luke nearly snapped.

“Don’t be an ass, Luke”

“Alright, children, let’s break it up” – Anna stepped forward – “Shana, your input and opinion have been heard, and Ryan had said ‘no’, and Luke– I mean, officer, thanks for the assistance”

“Yeah” – Luke said, scratching the back of his head.

With a final huff, Shana twirled in place (still looking more than Dorothy than Belle, Seth thought) and walked off with several of their classmates. Luke hung around, Marissa and Summer just to the side, whispering to one another.

“Thanks, man” – Ryan said, extending a hand to his captain, who took it with a smirk.

“You can thank me with a ‘duel’, dude”

“As you wish” – Seth gasped and Anna and Lindsay giggled.

“Well, okay, Dread Pirate Roberts” – Seth had to say. Ryan frowned a little.

“Who?”

“Oh God, you haven’t seen Princess Bride?! Dude, we have to see it right now!”

“We’re in the middle of a party, Seth”

“Right. Well, as soon as mom kicks everyone out, we’re watching it!”

“Should I be scared then?” – Luke joked – “Zorro and the Dread Pirate Roberts rolled into one?”

“And don’t forget he just bested Jean Grey” – Seth found himself joking right along.

“Well, whatever. Come at me, Zorro Roberts”

Seth wondered what his life even was, where the sight of Summer Roberts dressed in a skintight Cat Woman outfit did little to him (not nothing ‘cause, c’mon, he was still alive), he had a really cool brother, an equally cool girlfriend who couple dressed with him, and Luke Ward and said brother were having a mock gun/sword fight right in front of his eyes. Oh, and craziest of all, he was actually considering inviting his bully up until a couple of weeks ago to watch Princess Bride with them.

“Please tell me you’re staying for the movie” – he begged both Anna and Lindsay, who shared amused looks and said nothing – “Anna? Lindsay? Please don’t leave me alone with Ryan and Luke, please, please?”

“Ah, so you’re inviting Luke?” – Anna asked breezily.

“It would be a jerk move not to, right?”

“Kind of, yes”

“Then invite him I must, I guess”

“I am so touched by your generous heart, Cohen” – his girlfriend said dryly, and Lindsay grumbled as she rescued her crown from falling to the ground (for maybe the fifth time since she arrived).

“I’m only staying if there’s good food involved” – she said.

“I supposed that can be arranged. Oh! Oh, yeah! Give it to ‘im, Ryan!” – he screamed as Ryan showcased a superior use of his weapon.

“You do know that if Luke stays, he’ll officially be a good guy, right?” – Anna questioned him quietly, eyes dancing.

“Yeah, yeah. He’s still not forgiven for all the shoving and name calling, but yeah” – he paused – “Should we invite Marissa and Summer?”

“You should ask them, at least”

“Right. Ooh! Remind me never to piss Ryan off” – he winced when his brother expertly blocked Luke’s latest attack and mercilessly splayed water on his face.

“Duly noted”


	24. Gone with the wind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sandy, kids and Jimmy (whines)

Everything was going well, the food was fine and the candy was plentiful (though Sandy really was grateful he had snacked with Ryan earlier), his kids looked like they were having fun, their little circle expanding to include, much to his surprise, Luke Ward (Marissa Cooper and Summer Roberts a little aloof from the others), with Anna and Ryan ‘fighting’ and then Ryan and Luke (which, Sandy mused, looked very fun). Kirsten leaned against him with a happy smile, so what else could he want?

I mean, some more substantial food, but, you know.

“Hey, parentals” – Seth greeted sardonically.

“Hello, offspring, how may we assist you?” – Sandy shot back without pause.

“Ha, ha. Anyway, just to let you guys know that I invited the guys to hang out after the party’s over”

“Which ‘guys’?”

“Anna, Lindsay, you know. Luke”

“I see”

“I don’t care for you cheek, father”

“I don’t like yours either, son. Is that all?”

“Kinda, yeah. I invited Summer and Marissa too, but they said they were going out already, so” – Seth shrugged uncaringly.

“Okay”

“What are your plans?” – Kirsten asked curiously.

“We’re gonna watch Princess Bride, Ryan’s never seen it”

“Huh” – Sandy looked at the blond, smiling at something Lindsay said – “He does sort of look like the Dread Pirate himself”

“Right? It’s all the blondness. Well, anyway, just to let you know” – Sandy raised an eyebrow at him.

“What, did Anna make you do it?” – his son huffed but didn’t refute it.

“Oh, oh, incoming” – the kid whispered before nearly disappearing before Sandy’s eyes as Jimmy Cooper walked over.

“Hey you two” – he said with a wry grin – “You look great, Kirsten”

“Thank you, Jimmy” – she replied – “I should go check on things, make sure everyone is having a good time. Excuse me” – she stated and glided away.

“So, how’s it going?” – the blond asked awkwardly.

“Good, good. You know”

“Right. Er, anyway, Sandy, look, I wanted to talk to you about this whole... Thing”

“Okay. Maybe we should go inside?”

“No. I mean, yes, of course, that’s probably for the best” – they headed into the kitchen and Jimmy almost melted into a chair – “God, Sandy, I don’t know what to do anymore”

“Well, for one, you could start with selling the house, I told you”

“I know, I know, I just– Julie is talking about divorce, and if– I won’t have enough money to survive this, Sandy, I just won’t, and then the girls–”

“Stop right there. I’m sorry about what’s going with Julie, and I’m sorry that I can’t counsel you on that, however I’ve told you what you can do in order to show some degree of culpability here, to make emends”

“I know!” – the blond exploded, then sighed – “I don’t know what to do” – he said quietly.

“Maybe... Maybe it’s time to consider moving, Jimmy”

“Moving?”

“Somewhere... More affordable, less stressful”

“Julie would never go for it”

“Well, unless she has funds of her own, or gets a job, I don’t see how she could possibly stay in Newport without you, especially with the girls”

“It’s Julie, she’d find a way” – he laughed bitterly – “Probably find a better provider”

“Look, I can only help you with the legal stuff, Jimmy, no more, no less, and we’re almost over. But you need to sell the house or, you know, present some of the funds you... Lost along the way”

“Then I’ll have nothing”

“You have nothing as is, you can barely walk out the door. Hell, it’s a wonder no one tried to clock you today!”

“Yeah. Well, I guess it’s all you and Kirsten, no one would want to make a huge thing here of all places”

“Maybe”

“Julie is going to leave me”

“Then you’re better off”

“She’ll wanna keep the kids, and I won’t have any way to stop her”

“I can help with that, try and get partial custody at the very least”

“Yeah, I suppose that– Yes”

“So do what I say, otherwise... This is getting a little too hot for my tastes, Jimmy, and if you’re not going to listen to me, then what’s the point?”

“God, no, Sandy, I– I can’t afford anyone else, God, no, please, you have to help me!”

“And I will, if you’ll help yourself”

“I will, I promise I’ll do better” – he took a deep breath – “I guess I’m gonna have to tell Julie about the house” – he mumbled.

“A good start. Hey, c’mon, I know it’s Newport, but you can find somewhere okay to rent or even buy, I’m sure”

“Hope so”

“Unfortunately Kirsten can’t really help with that anymore, though”

“Yeah. I should talk to her about that, I mean, quitting from the Newport Group? Never thought I’d see the day. I thought for sure she’d inherit the kingdom and all that one day”

“Eh, what can I say? She wanted to see what else was out there”

“So she’s not going back?”

“Doubtful”

“Hm. Well, Sandy, you’re a great lawyer and a better friend, as usual” – he got up and grabbed Sandy’s hand tightly – “I wish I could say the same about myself”

“Hard to be a lawyer without passing the bar, Jimmy” – that made the blond chuckle.

“Yeah, yeah. Hm, so, maybe we can grab a beer sometime? Not tonight, I’m sure you guys will be dead on your feet after this shindig is over, but tomorrow, maybe?”

“Sure, sure. The kids are getting together later anyone, and you know how touchy they can be about us adults lurking around”

“Do I ever” – he frowned a little – “Is... Luke coming?”

“Seth said so, yes”

“Huh. Do you know if Marissa is staying too?”

“No, sorry, I don’t think she is”

“It’s just... She’s been so distant lately, she’s always out...”

“I’m sure it’s nothing, she’s always been a sociable girl, right?”

“Right. Right, I’m sure it’s nothing, like you said”

“How about a beer? It’s not like you have to drive home anyway”

“Too true. Head the way”

The men shared a few beers before Julie stalked over and tersely told Jimmy she would like to go back home that very moment. Jimmy fumbled a little in saying goodbye to Sandy and the approaching Kirsten, but managed to quickly follow his enraged wife out. Marissa and Summer stayed behind, and the former didn’t seem to notice anything amiss in regards to her parents. Sandy couldn’t help but feel a little bad for her.

“Jimmy is finally considering selling the house” – he softly told Kirsten, who sighed.

“Finally. I’ll help him find a place” – he smiled lovingly.

“You’re a great friend, you know that, Mrs. Cohen?”

“Why yes, Mr. Cohen, but do tell me again” – she teased back, leaning in for a kiss.

A couple hours later, the party finally came to a close, and the only people still hanging around besides the caterers were the Cohens, Anna, Lindsay and Luke. The latter was floating in the pool, much to the girls’ obvious amusement. Sandy wondered how much he’d had to drink, and if it would be wise to take him aside to discuss teen drinking, expect Luke seemed perfectly sober, or mostly sober, just really, really chipper. And hot in his itchy outfit, as he heard him put it.

“To be clear, I am NOT lending you a pair of pants” – Seth grumpily told Luke.

“Like they’d fit me, you’re smaller than your girlfriend!” – Seth squawked as Anna snorted.

“Uninvited to the Princess Bride night! Uninvited!”

“Pretty sure that’s up to Ryan, dumbass” – both boys looked beseechingly at Ryan, who stood his ground with something of a mischievous smirk.

“I think it would be rude to kick him out, you know, wet dogs can get sick easily” – he stated lightheartedly, and Sandy had to laugh to himself.

“I’ll show you wet dog, Chino” – Luke exited the pool with all the grace and strength of a born athlete, and shook like, well, a wet dog, spraying Ryan and Seth in particular.

“Dude!” – Seth cried – “No ice cream for you!”

“Or soup” – Ryan piped, unconcerned about the water.

“Okay, you know Seinfeld but not Princess Bride? Dude”

“Why don’t you boys all go change before you catch a cold?” – Anna proposed – “And Lindsay and I will go and change into something a little less... Cumbersome”

“As you wish, my lady” – Seth sighed and hopped into the house, followed by Ryan. Luke stopped long enough to remove his shirt and pants, and looked a bit bashfully at Sandy.

“Hey, Mr. Cohen. Where, uh, where should I leave these?”

“On one of the chairs, we can take care of that later. Go change, go on, before Seth decided to actually kick you out”

“Sir, yes sir”

“No cheek out of you” – Luke looked surprised at the easy banter, but nodded and went inside after carefully placing his clothes on the back of one of a chair.

Two hours later, Sandy and Kirsten were outside in very comfortable sweatpants, enjoying some nice chilled wine after finishing their Thai take out. The sounds of the kids shouting and fooling around inside was all too noticeable.

“I think we adopted a few more kids when we weren’t looking” – Sandy told Kirsten, who laughed.

“They’re good kids”

“I guess. Gonna have to start buying toothbrushes in bulk if this is going to be a recurring thing”

“It’s not that bad, is it?”

Once, they had both decided that Seth was enough, they didn’t need more children. Then Ryan came along, and it was so easy to accept having two teenage boys running around the house, and now their son had a very opinionated girlfriend, their other kid had a shy girl friend who nonetheless knew how to express herself, and somewhere along the way, they managed to befriend a big lab in human form.

“We should invest in air mattresses” – he said instead, and joined his wife in chuckling into the cool night.


	25. Loops and hoops

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan, Catherine and self esteem

Catherine smiled at Ryan and he couldn’t help but smile back.

“I knew you had it in you” – she said quietly as she moved to kneel by the chair Ryan had brought over – “Simple but very well done” – she touched the swirls he’d painstakingly managed to carve into the back of a chair she had thrust upon him before Halloween. At the time, he had tried to refuse, but she said she wanted to see him work on something plain and already put together, and the way she looked at him was too firm for him to continue protesting, so he nodded along and accepted it as politely as he could manage.

“It’s not perfect”

“It’s never going to be, kid, I don’t think anything I’ve ever done is perfect, and you’re the same, aren’t you?” – he had nothing to say to that – “I like it, now a little paint, maybe... Varnish. Which do you think would look better?”

“Varnish?”

“Yeah, you’re right. I’ll do it later, now, c’mere, let me see how your drawing is going” – he shyly pulled out a beat up notebook and wordless gave it to her – “Ah, nice, nice. I guess this is your thing, simple, clean lines, but done properly”

“Thank you” – he mumbled, looking around and just barely touching a wind chime with a carefully carved line of music noted in the middle of several silvery tubes.

“You like that?” – she questioned, still looking through his drawings.

“I... Yes”

“Then maybe you could make a few as a little homework, if you’re up for it”

“Sure, I guess”

“Want me to show you how? Or do you want to take it back with you?”

“Is that okay?”

“Of course. Here, I think I have a few... Where are they?” – she mumbled and started looking through her messy work table – “Ah! Here, here” – she handed him a bunch of metal tubes that he almost dropped, they were so many – “You can use like, I don’t know, seashells and stones too, but I like metal tubes, you know? They look nice” – they both looked at the wind chime for a moment.

“It’s very pretty” – she turned around and rummaged through her bookshelf and with a huff managed to wrangle one book from the piles and piles of volumes and paused in front of him and his filled hands.

“I’ll lend you this, it’s got a few ideas on how to do lots of small projects, I’m sure you’ll figure it all out”

“Thank you, Catherine”

“You’re welcome, kid. Hey, I should be thanking you, you’re by far my best student, everyone else wants to write their name on a plaque or whatever, and isn’t that a waste of my superior teaching skills? Hm... Here, I’ll put it in your bag, okay?”

“Okay”

“You don’t need to make a wind chime if you don’t want to, just do whatever from the book and we’re good, yeah?”

“Sure, of course”

“I put your notebook with the book”

“Ah, thank you”

“Is your brother coming to get you?”

“I think so, yes”

“He’s a little chatty but he’s not half bad, huh?”

“No, he’s really not”

“Hm... Did your friend like the table?”

After thinking about it, Ryan ended up giving the table to Anna, who gasped at the work he had put into it, though he had to awkwardly apologize for imposing on her, for the slightly crooked legs, despite his efforts, for the less than perfect, not to mention crude carving. She had laughed and slapped his arm, gushing that she couldn’t believe he had done so well on such a large project. He shrugged, saying he had finished putting it together with Catherine’s help in the end, but the girl seemed impervious to his comments, only complimenting him and assuring him that her parents were going to commission some more stuff from him in no time if he kept it up.

He didn’t know what to say to that, and just stood there as Anna spoke out loud on her plans for the table.

“She liked it” – he finally answered Catherine, who nodded.

“She had a good eye too, there was no way she wasn’t going to like it”

“Right” – she looked him in the eye and he internally squirmed under her gaze, but neither moved or said anything.

“See you next time then” – she said when they heard Seth’s usual honk.

“Sorry, I...” – he quickly dumped all the tubes into his bag and put it on his back with a swift movement.

“Don’t even. Go, go, don’t leave him waiting long, but ah, Ryan, seriously. Don’t beat yourself up too much, okay? Do what you can, work hard– What am I saying, you only ever work hard at it. Anyway, choose a project, go for it, and don’t lose any fingers” – he threw her an amused grin over his shoulder before rushing outside.

“Hey man” – Seth said when he climbed in.

They drove in silence for a little, Seth murmuring the lyrics of the songs playing under his breath as Ryan kind of eagerly waited to be able to read the book over to find what next he could do.

“She like the chair?” – Seth questioned after a while. Ryan turned with confusion and surprise, but then had to snort and smile.

“She did”

“Anna was bugging me again”

“About what?”

“Her parents, dude! They really loved the desk, seriously, man, that day I went over for dinner? Her mom almost made me drive her home to make you promise to make something else for her”

“That’s an exaggeration”

“Only barely. Seriously, Mrs. S freaking loved it. She put it in the family room, which’s her favorite room of the house, by the way”

“Oh. I’m... Glad she liked it”

“Yeah” – they stayed quiet for a few more minutes – “When are you planning on telling the parentals about it?”

“About–?”

“Dude. Ryan. The lessons, man. The projects, your adoring crowd!”

“What adoring crowd?”

“Anna? Her parents? Lindsay?” – that made Ryan pink up slightly, remembering how brightly she’d smiled when he showed her the desk, before he gave it to Anna.

“They’re hardly–”

“I know you’re not fishing for compliments, man, but for reals. I mean, I get it, I get it, mom would squeal so much it would be unbearable, and dad would hug the life out of you, and then where would we be, but, you know. Plus, yeah, sure, mom would throw out all the furniture she could and buy an entire forest and ask you to make stuff from scratch, but...”

“Anyone ever tell you how much you babble?”

“Ever since I started talking. Okay, whatever. What did your teacher give you for homework, and does it have anything to do with the bells in your bag?”

“They’re not bells, they’re– They’re like metal tubes, for wind chimes”

“Ooh. Damn, mom loves her some wind chimes”

“She does?”

“She’s got like three in her room, and she’s got a bunch more in her closet, so she always changes them around”

“Ah” – he hadn’t been in the master bedroom a lot of times in his time in the Cohen house, and he hadn’t looked around to see much in it.

Unbidden, Ryan thought about what he could do for Kirsten, and whether she would like it, and then he shook his head. She likely had very delicate, crystal or precious metal chimes, they had to be beautiful and expensive, done by a professional like Catherine, not someone so far from even a novice it wasn’t even funny.

He had a small, quiet hope that she would at least smile at him and thank him for it, hang it up for a day and then put it away to never see the light of day again, but she’d keep it. His mom–

“Wanna watch a movie later?” – he abruptly asked Seth, who made a weird face but ultimately grinned bemusedly.

“Sure?” – he paused and sighed exaggeratedly – “You want to invite Luke don’t you?”

“Can we?”

“I mean, yeah, he’s not– Okay, okay, he’s not horrible, but” – he stopped again – “You know what, whatever, I don’t mind him much, just, no videogames this time, he keep cheating and lying about it, and it’s annoying” – Ryan laughed softly.

“I’ll be sure to let him know”

“I think Anna had a dinner with her mom’s friends or something later, she was pretty vague ‘bout it. What’s Lindsay up to today?”

“Not sure, she didn’t mention anything special”

“Well, text her, maybe she can come too, otherwise it’s gonna be just us... And if mom and dad wanna watch too, mom will be all alone, and you know how dad gets when it’s all boys in the house”

“I know” – and what almost scared him was that he did know what Seth was talking about, and he didn’t even know when he’d come to have so many examples of Sandy flaying around, acting like a teenager on a sugar high, with Kirsten shaking her head half mockingly in the back at his antics.

Seth started discussing, mostly to himself, what movies they should watch as Ryan texted Lindsay and Luke. The girl took a little while to answer and was regretful when she said she needed to catch up on some homework, but she could hang out on Sunday, and Luke replied almost immediately and said he’d be right over with chips and beer (to which Ryan quickly wrote back that the Cohens would be home; Luke answered back with ‘lol’ and no more, so Ryan was left wondering if his newfound friend was actually gonna go through with it or was just messing with him, because Luke was pretty unpredictable).

In the end, it was just the three boys, as Kirsten took one look at them, lying all over the TV room eating chips, popcorn and candy, and announced they were on their own for the night because her husband was most definitely taking her out on a date. Sandy arrived just in time to hear the end of her emphatic statement, and could only mournfully (if playfully) nod along as he wished the boys a good time.

Luke didn’t bring any beer in the end, but he did bring enough junk food to fatten them all up.


	26. Uniformity is not always the way to go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kirsten, Newpsies and a change

Kirsten found herself in the middle of a group of Newpsies, and it was disconcerting.

“Have you managed to find something?” – one of the women questioned in a high voice – “Oh, Kirsten, we just can’t understand why you left the Newport Group! You’d been there since forever!” – that made Kirsten want to grimace; the Group was the only place she’d ever worked at, and the reminder was irritating.

“It was just time to move on, I guess” – she said plainly.

“Are you thinking of changing careers, maybe?” – another woman went next.

“Oh, I always thought you would do so well planning parties!”

The women clearly didn’t need much of her input in what she should do with her life now that she was no longer under her father’s thumb, so she decided to just hang back and enjoy her wine. The Newpsies, bless their heart, were all too adept at talking about a person without that person needing to even open their mouths, and since they were just being their usual flighty, well meaning but sly selves, Kirsten didn’t think it was a bad idea to just smile and drink away.

“What does Sandy think of all of this?” – one of them snapped Kirsten out of her trance, and she internally shook herself off of it.

“Sorry?”

“Sandy! He must be feeling the heat, being the only breadwinner” – they all laughed a little disdainfully, well aware of Sandy’s morals and lack of interest in being a corporate lawyer (like some of their husbands, in fact).

“He’s being very supportive” – she opened a serene, if cold grin – “He’s such a wonderful husband” – they blinked and shifted in place awkwardly for a moment.

“Ah, I’ve been meaning to ask, you know. How’s your, ah, brother getting on at Harbor?”

“Ryan is doing just fine”

“Isn’t that great? My daughter said he’s a very quiet boy”

“He is” – Kirsten said briefly, but it was clear to her that the women’s interest was peaked.

“And he’s so handsome too! You two are so unlike, it’s downright uncanny!”

“I suppose” – that comparison Kirsten didn’t mind.

“He’s in the soccer team, is it?”

“That’s right”

“Athletic, handsome and smart, from what I understand. You got the jackpot!”

Oh yes, what a jackpot. A brother she never knew about, who grew up with a mother capable of leaving him behind without a second glance, a supposed father in jail and a brother who pushed him into criminal activity; that Ryan came out like he did, able to blend in at Harbor, to follow his interests in sports and do well was nothing short of a miracle, and she was so damn proud of him! But it was nothing she would ever voice to the Newpsies. Obviously. 

“I suppose I did”

“He’s friends with that Ward boy, isn’t he?”

“I think so, yes. Luke is a nice kid”

“Did you hear about his father?”

“Luke’s father?”

“Yes! It’s all over! His wife is going to leave him!”

“Why?”

“You haven’t–? Oh, it’s awful!” – the woman leaned in and Kirsten automatically followed suit – “He’s gay” – she stage whispered.

“Luke’s father is–?”

“Yeap. He got caught with his pants down. Well, not literally, I don’t think, but people saw him kissing his partner! How scandalous is that?!”

“That sounds–” – terrible for Luke, his brothers, his mother, his father.

“Doesn’t it?! Oh, Kirsten, maybe you should tell your sons– I mean, your son and your brother not to hang out with Luke anymore! I told Julie Cooper the same thing, I mean, Marissa is such a darling girl”

“Why shouldn’t I let my kids be friends with Luke anymore?”

“Because of his father, of course!”

“I... Don’t see how that has anything to do with anything” – they gasped.

“But Kirsten–! You’d let your kids be around a man who would be so crass as to– Well, you know”

“... Be gay?”

“With his business partner! And under his own wife’s nose too! Oh, just the thought of it”

Personally, Kirsten had the cruel thought that maybe they, too, needed a wake–up call in their lives. Julie had survived Jimmy’s crimes, Kirsten had survived her father’s lies, and Luke and his family surely would survive this scandal.

“Well, you know kids, if I tell them not to be friends with someone, that’s exactly what they’ll do” – she said instead with a pleasant smile – “Besides, they’re old enough to decide for themselves who to be around”

Like you, a voice whispered in her ear.

“I still think you should tell the boys at least not to go over to the Wards. I mean, what if the man is around and he tries something?”

“He’s just gay, he was caught kissing his partner, not a child” – Kirsten protested with a frown.

“Don’t be naïve, Kirsten, men like these–”

“Are we about to go buy pitchforks and head over to the Wards?” – she blurted out and received incredulous looks.

“What a thought, Kirsten! That’s so dramatic!”

“THAT is dramatic?”

“Of course, what else? Gosh, Kirsten, you are being so odd today”

“I– You know what? I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize the time! I have to go, the boys, you know, I need to talk to them”

“Oh. Well, okay. Hum, think about what we said, okay? You can never be too careful”

“And consider the party planning thing! You’d make a killing~!”

Kirsten gave them a final grin that was almost a grimace and turned around to leave.

When she got home, Ryan, Seth, Anna and Lindsay were deep in their books, and Kirsten had to clear her throat to get their attention.

“Kids, may I ask a question?”

“You mean another one?” – Seth piped up and the girls kicked him almost in unison. He yelped and pouted, but said no more.

“Yes, dear son. So, I just came back from meeting with the Newpsies, and I was just wondering if you’ve heard anything about Luke’s dad” – she observed as the kids traded nervous looks.

“What about him?” – Ryan bravely asked.

“Seems there are some rumors going around about him”

“There may be” – Seth conceded – “So?”

“So, I’d like to know if that’s going to impact your friendship with him”

“Should it?”

“Where I’m concerned, and I’m sure your father as well, no, not at all. I hope this doesn’t change anything on your end, anyway”

“Yeah” – Seth shrugged – “Luke’s at home, I guess, dealing with– You know, otherwise he’d be here. The big guy is bizarrely good with Biology, and as you know, mother, I hate all life on Earth other than humans, and not even them for the most part, so it’s good to have someone around who does not feel the same way” – that made the other kids snort.

“Oh Seth. Well, so, you’re all good with Luke?”

“We are”

“Good. Girls, are you staying over for dinner?”

“If it’s not too much trouble, Mrs. Cohen” – Lindsay chirped sweetly.

“Not at all. How about we girls choose the menu today? The boys have too much free reign with the take out menus in my opinion” – Anna smirked at Seth, who groaned.

“Mom! No fair! It’s gonna be salad fest if they have their way!”

“What’s wrong with eating healthy, huh?” – Anna poked his arm – “A salad won’t kill you”

“Oh, it will too, I’ll starve!”

“In one night? Unlikely”

“But should we take the chance? I don’t think we should, at all! Mother, please!”

“I don’t see Ryan complaining”

“That’s because he LIKES the healthy crap these two shove our way every chance they get! He’s a fiend!”

“Ah, that’s called taking care of myself, actually” – Ryan interjected, and Seth wailed about it in a way that made Kirsten smile fondly.

“Surrounded by healthy freaks! Rescue me, mother! Please!”

“Sorry, you’re outvoted”

“Where’s dad when I need ‘im? He’ll back me up”

“Don’t even. Well, I’m gonna go freshen up, you kids get back to studying” – she gave her son a hard look and he sniffed before doing as told.

Kirsten went to her room, and into her bathroom, and stared herself in the mirror. All she saw was a Newpsie, one of the women her own son mocked, that her husband scoffed at. With a frown, she stared at herself a little more before hurrying to her closet and furiously looking for something that would make her feel like herself, like the girl Sandy Cohen fell in love with, like the woman who couldn’t get angry when her son wrote all over the walls when he was two, like the woman that up and quit on her father, like the woman who became a mother to her sixteen year old brother with open arms.

Finally, she found a pair of jeans and a long forgotten but beloved sweater that had once belonged to her mom. She sniffed it and closed her eyes for a moment after putting it on, then smiled to herself.

It was a weird life that she was living, but somewhere along the way, she thought she had become Kirsten Cohen for the first time in a very long time.


	27. Crisis adverted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seth and friends (and growing)

Lindsay was staring at him, though every time Seth looked up, her eyes were glued to her book.

“What’s up, Gardner?” – he finally snapped, trying to keep it cool. The girl shifted in place and finally put her book down.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Shoot me”

“Do you think Ryan... I mean, do you think he would mind if I, er” – she paused and shook her head – “No, sorry, forget it, it’s nothing important”

“You sure?”

“Yeah”

“So it’s got nothing to do with the upcoming dance of the century? Or just the upcoming dance?” – he asked rather flippantly.

“... Maybe it has something to do with it”

“I see. Well, ask away”

“I... I mean, I was wondering if Ryan would... You know, want to go. Maybe” – she pinked up – “With me”

“Or me, don’t be presumptuous” – Seth couldn’t help himself, and Lindsay scowled.

“Seth”

“Sorry, sorry. And, I mean, I don’t know. Ryan doesn’t seem like the dance type” – her face fell a little and she busied herself with her homework.

“Of course! Yeah, no, I thought so, I just... Wanted to make sure” – she smiled tightly and Seth felt really bad.

“But, but–! I’m sure if you were to ask him, he would definitely go”

“Do you think so?” – she questioned hesitantly.

“Look, I know you guys are like, courting or whatever–”

“We are not–”

“–but eventually one of you has to do something about it, or it’s the friendzone for both of you, and something tells me you don’t want that”

“Do you think... Ryan–?”

“To be honest, it’s Ryan, who knows, but I think he likes you. Damn, don’t tell him that, you just know he’ll fall into a well of self doubt and denial, especially if it’s true, so, tough luck, you’re gonna have to take the plunge and ask him out”

“Are you trying to give me a pep talk?” – she asked after a beat with a little grin.

“Oh God, dad’s contagious” – he moaned into his hands as she stifled her laughter.

“It’s okay, Seth, I’ll keep your secret”

“Thank you, I appreciate it. Can I give you one last piece of advice, though?”

“Okay?”

“Let him buy the corsage, he’s gotta do something in this whole thing”

Lindsay’s look was wholly unimpressed.

 

“Hey, Luke! Luke, dude, c’mon!”

“What you want, Cohen?” – the huge blond growled and Seth nearly ran off for his life.

“To invite you to the dance, duh”

“What? You think that’s funny?!”

“No, dumbass. Look, the girls and Ryan miss you. Hell, I miss your Biology prowess, and I’m sure my parents would prefer if I could keep my grades up, which’s gonna be real hard to do if you’re not around to whip me into submission– Wait, that sounds too sexual, sorry. Anyway, what was I saying?”

“I don’t even know, Cohen” – Luke said with an almost fond, if bemused, grin.

“Oh, right. Are you coming over today for the study group?”

“Look, Cohen–”

“I’ll make Anna ask you, and then you’ll be very sorry” – that brought an honest smile out of Luke.

“Can’t have that, that girl is a health hazard when she’s on the warpath”

“Is she ever. So?”

“I’ll be there, Cohen, but I am bringing black licorice this time” – Seth wrinkled his nose at that.

“Fine, but you keep it to yourself, you’re the only one who likes that. And mom, I guess”

“Sure thing, all the better to make ‘er love me even more”

“Dude”

“What? C’mon, look at me”

“... Alright then”

 

“So... Lindsay invited me to the dance” – Ryan commented after dinner as the two boys hung out in the blond’s room.

“Did she”

“She already told me you made her do it”

“I didn’t make her do it–! She ASKED me if she should do it, and I told her to do it” – Seth paused as Ryan raised an eyebrow – “You know what I mean, don’t gimme that look”

“Yeah, well. She did” – he shrugged and turned to his book as Seth frowned.

“You did– I mean, you didn’t say ‘no’, did you?”

“I accepted” – Ryan answered briefly.

“Oh. Cool”

“What?

“Nothing”

“Did you ask Anna yet?”

“Of course, she’d have kicked me from here to Chino if I hadn’t by now”

“True enough”

“Wanna ride together?”

“Sure?”

“I still don’t know why the parentals haven’t bought you a car”

“I don’t need a car”

“It’s not about needing a car, dude, it’s just–”

“It’s fine” – Ryan interrupted almost rudely, which made Seth stare at him until the blond looked away – “I mean, I don’t– It’s okay, I don’t need– It’s fine”

“Yeah, sure, man” – they remained in silence for a little while, until Seth couldn’t take it anymore – “Hey, so, hum, how’s the, ah, wind chimes thing going?”

“It’s– It’s not very good, I don’t think I’m going to finish it”

“Something tells me Catherine would be pissed at you if you didn’t” – Ryan shrugged.

“Maybe, but it’s not good enough to–”

“Give to mom?” – Seth tried to sound nonchalant, but Ryan folded into himself some.

“I wasn’t– I doubt your mom would be... Interested”

“In something one of her kids made for her? You’re wack, man”

“Don’t say ‘wack’”

“Well, you’re being wacky, so I might as well. Dude, mom LOVES the stuff I used to make for her when I was a kid, and they were ugly as hell. Seriously, only a mom would love those things, ‘cause, as you know, I am not made for manual labor, these hands are far too delicate for that” – Ryan snorted.

“I’ve noticed” – he said dryly.

“You don’t sound too sincere, man”

“Sorry”

“Anyway, seriously, whatever you make, if you make anything, mom will love. I mean, dad would love himself some new furniture too, but, whatever, we gotta suck up to mom, she’s harder to make good with”

“You think so?” – Ryan questioned lightly.

“Definitely, you just need to not make too much fun of dad and he’s good”

“No, I–” – Ryan hesitated and cleared his throat – “Do you think your mom... Would like... ?”

“I won’t spoil it, ‘cause I’m 100% sure she’ll show you some of the crap I gave her over the years, but seriously, anything you throw together will already be 300% better than anything I’ve made. Except for one thing, but it’s nothing I had to sweat and bleed over, so it doesn’t really fit into this discussion”

“... Is there–? I haven’t really decided on what... Shapes for the. Wind chimes, you know”

“Oh, you want ME to–?” – Ryan looked away quickly.

“It’s okay, you don’t– You don’t have to, sorry”

“What? No, dude, c’mon! No, no, let me just... Oh, you know, I think mom likes, you know, delicate stuff like butterflies and flowers. Horses. I think she used to ride when she was younger, back in the Stone Age. Maybe you never noticed it, but there’s this sculpture of a horse in dad’s office, I think it used to be– Hum, from grandma”

“Horses” – Ryan said, almost to himself.

“But mom would love anything, man, seriously, anything”

“Yeah. Right”

 

Seth groaned and melted beside Anna, who snorted but nevertheless put a hand on his head and just let him.

“What’s up?”

“Nothing. Just... Tired” – he replied and sighed.

“So... Have you decided what kind of corsage you’re gonna get me?”

“You haven’t told me what color dress you’re getting!” – she huffed.

“When in doubt, get white”

“Do you want a white corsage?”

“It could be a blue one too”

“Noted”

“Good thing you didn’t make me invite you”

“Like I would do that”

“You made Lindsay invite Ryan”

“For the last time, I didn’t MAKE her do it!”

“You encouraged her”

“Well, yeah, otherwise she wouldn’t do it!”

“Maybe you should’ve encouraged Ryan to ask HER, did you think of that?”

“Right, ‘cause that was gonna happen”

“You don’t think Ryan would–?”

“Eh. But they’re going together, isn’t that good enough?” – Anna snorted.

“Oh, Seth”

“What? What?!”

“Never change”


	28. Another reason

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sandy and Julie // Sandy, the boys and Kirsten (and corsages)

Julie Cooper was in front of him. JULIE COOPER was in front of him, in his office, and she looked pissed.

Oh great.

“How can I help you, Julie?” – Sandy questioned wryly. The woman remained standing up, staring down at the lawyer, who wondered if it was too late to run off.

“When do you think this whole Jimmy thing is going to wrap up?”

“I’m sorry, Julie, but I can’t really discuss the case with–”

“He’s my husband, Sandy” – she stated, putting her hands on her hips – “I don’t care about some silly attorney/client nonsense!”

“It’s not actually nonsense, but I won’t bore you with the details”

“Please don’t, I get more than enough of that at home, so no thank you”

“Look, Julie, I know it’s difficult, I know it’s not... Ideal in any way–”

“My husband ripped off most of the O.C.! And now my daughter’s boyfriend, or ex–boyfriend by now, is a pariah–”

“Luke’s not a pariah, I don’t know what you–”

“If you’re going to mention your kids, don’t” – she sighed – “It’s too bad, he was so perfect for Marissa”

“Er, Julie?”

“Yes, yes. Anyway, do you think this thing is going to take much longer to, you know, get resolved already?”

“I can’t discuss the case” – Sandy repeated and she nearly snarled.

“Are you seriously going to shut me out? Really?”

“Why don’t you ask your husband? He knows”

“He’s not going to be my husband much longer”

“... I’m sorry?”

“I can’t possibly stay with him. He’s– He’s burned here in Newport, Sandy, we can’t just–!”

“You could move”

“Move! Move where?! With what money!”

“Look, Julie” – he took a deep breath – “I am not your lawyer, so our conversations are not just between us, you do know that?”

“You’d tell Jimmy?” – she demanded.

“I wouldn’t deceive him”

“God, Sandy, the sight from your pedestal must be real nice”

“Oh, it’s lovely. That all said, I can’t advise you to divorce my client or not, I don’t have to advise you in any legal manner, or otherwise, however I will tell you this much. You two have your daughters to worry about, you are not a recently married couple going through a bad moment in your marriage, you’ve been together what, some sixteen, seventeen years?”

She remained quiet but her eyes bore through him.

“I understand that you believe that what Jimmy did was awful, perhaps even unforgivable, and I get that it hasn’t been easy for you or the girls, I know, but from one husband to one wife? Think about all the reasons why you first got together, and why you even stayed together all these years. You certainly didn’t need to stay with him, regardless of the way things were before”

“You’re so naïve, Sandy” – Julie said quietly – “You don’t get it–”

“That you’ve lost your place in our little society? I get it. That the Newpsies are being their usual catty selves? I’ve noticed. And yet, you’re still standing, no one’s come around with pitchforks, the girls are still enrolled in school, and they’re doing alright, aren’t they?”

“How would you be if your father had done something like this?”

“I’d have kicked his ass” – Sandy said confidently – “But I wouldn’t abandon him when he needs me most. Jimmy loves you, he loves the girls, and despite everything, I think you love him too, Julie”

Sandy had known Julie Cooper for a long, long time, they’d been neighbors for a long time, and yet he wondered if this was the first time he had ever seen something of a real, honest, raw emotion out of her. She didn’t cry, she didn’t yell, she just stood there, as if digesting everything he had tried to pass on to her.

“And if you do decide to... Leave Jimmy, be straight with him, make it as smooth as possible. You may not owe it to him, but you owe it to yourself and your family”

“I– I’ll think about it” – she finally said. She sighed and put a hand through her long locks, and smiled – “You’re kind of an ass, Sandy, but you’re not that bad”

“Why, thank you, Julie, I am always glad to hear what the Newpsies think about me”

“I don’t think I’m still a Newpsie”

“Hey, once a Newpsie, always a Newpsie”

 

After he returned home, he found Kirsten fussing over the boys; Seth was boring it very badly, complaining at every turn when she turned to him, but Ryan took it all in, and allowed her to rearrange his tie, his hair, his shirt, his jacket.

His conversation with Julie made him wonder at his lovely family. A wife who had always been strong and steady, and was now in search of something to fill her days (that didn’t include mothering her family), one son who had quite obviously inherited his looks and sharp sense of humor (though Seth could be much more scathing that Sandy ever even considered being), and now another son, who looked so much like Kirsten it pained him sometimes, because he was so quiet, and kind, and utterly sweet while slowly showing that be could stand up for himself just fine (even if only among his friends).

He had a perfect family, and God, it was a weird, weird feeling.

“Dad!” – Seth cried out, dodging his mother’s deft hands yet again – “Do something about your woman!”

“I’m just excited! My boys’ first dance” – Kirsten pouted.

“Haven’t broken out the old camera yet?” – Sandy asked teasingly, and Seth groaned.

“Why? Just– Why, father?” – the teen whined as Kirsten hurried off to the study to grab the camera, if her mumblings were anything to go by.

“So, you boys ready for tonight?” – Sandy ignored Seth a little and came closer. They did look pretty dashing, though they also looked equally ready to rip it all away.

“Eh, just hope Anna is not much for dancing, ‘cause that is so not my thing” – Seth stated, flopping down on the couch.

“Not surprising” – Ryan commented breezily.

“You are getting cheeky and I do not approve of it” – Seth retorted while pointing at the blond, who only smirked minutely.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about” – Ryan shrugged.

“Lies!”

“Ooh, hey, I’m back! Seth, get up, will you? You’ll wrinkle your suit!” – Kirsten chided as she waved the camera around.

“Dad, I’ll pay you to take that thing and toss it in the pool” – Seth offered very seriously as he got up and stood beside Ryan.

“Considering your cash comes from us, kid, no deal. Oh, and smile, will you? Your mother just wants some nice pictures!” – Seth grumbled under his breath but threw an arm around Ryan’s arm. The blond rolled his eyes but gamely smiled in Kirsten’s direction.

“And now all my boys” – she said, grinning widely and happily, and Sandy couldn’t help but get between his sons with something of a maniacal giggle.

“Cheese!” – he said as he barely had to force a smile at the camera.

Later, after the boys managed to escape Kirsten’s fussy hands, the couple drank some wine and looked over at the dozens of pictures Kirsten took.

“Aw, don’t they look adorable?” – she gushed.

“I think they both need to get a haircut”

“Look who’s talking” – she snorted.

“Why, excuse you, but my wife happens to like it this way”

“Oh, does she?” – she teased, letting him place a kiss on her forehead.

“Yeap”

“I know your wife, and she does not” – he gasped dramatically.

“Lies!”

“And now you sound just like Seth”

“Well, after such unkindness–!”

“Do you think we should’ve had a talk with them?” – she abruptly questioned.

“About?”

“You know, the usual. No drinking, no drugs, no sex”

“No sex? Really?”

“Sandy!”

“Well, alright, but, c’mon, they’re good, smart kids. When, ‘cause let’s face it, they have sex, they know to be careful and safe”

“You should still sit them down some time and discuss it with them anyway”

“Oh joy. Will you help me with the Power Point?”

“If I must. Though maybe don’t tell them I told you to do it, if we know Seth–”

“And after sixteen years, I think we do”

“–then he’ll be especially against it if he knows I had anything to do with it”

“True that. Let’s go like this, I’ll have The Talk with them, and you’ll talk to them about not drinking or taking drugs, ‘cause that will be a fun talk”

“My husband wouldn’t think you’re that funny, mister”

“I happen to be hilarious!”

“Ha, ha” – nonetheless, she did have a big smile on her face when he leaned over for a proper kiss.


	29. Owning up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan, the Cohens, and a quiet meal

Ryan blew into the small daisy carving in his hand. He coughed a little when the dust flew a little into his face, and he leaned back until it settled.

Although he continued to be a little unsure of why he was doing it, after discussing the situation with Seth, Ryan decided he could at least try his hand at making a wind chime – with carved forms to Kirsten’s tastes. He hadn’t had the courage to sneak into the office to see the horse sculpture Seth mentioned, but after looking it up online, it was just as well, because it looked far beyond his skills, so he started doing flowers. The first few looked horrible, misshapen and some petals broken when he pressed too much.

Eventually he got it right, he thought, or as close to right as he could manage. The base was coming along alright, with a couple of roses and a single daisy. He looked at it closely, thinking about what else he could put in it; Seth did mention butterflies and delicate things, maybe he could try for butterflies or fireflies.

“Hey man” – Seth called out from the locked door. Ryan put his work down and went over to the door – “Oh, hey” – the brunet’s eyes briefly travelled to Ryan’s working table – “Pizza’s here, and dad’s doing that crazy caveman thing, so we better get ours now or we’ll starve”

“Yeah, sure” – Ryan nodded and followed him out, locking the door to the pool house behind him.

“Finally!” – Sandy exclaimed with his hands on his hips. By the fridge grabbing some drinks, Kirsten rolled her eyes heavenly as Seth snorted and Ryan simply shook his head – “Can’t make a hungry man wait, what’s the deal?!”

“You sound like your son” – Kirsten pointed out, putting sodas on the table – “Keep that in mind”

“You’re mean”

“I rest my case”

“Hey now, I’m the lawyer”

“Of course, dear”

“Oh God, please stop fighting” – Seth said flatly, grabbing himself and Ryan slices of pizza – “Thank God you’re around, they are kind of insufferable when it’s just me to witness this ridiculousness”

“And now I am ridiculous!” – Sandy moped over his own slice – “My own son” – he mumbled before he started eating.

“So” – Kirsten stated, smiling a little – “May I ask what’s going on in the pool house or is it a secret?” – Seth didn’t look at Ryan, and it seemed very deliberate.

“It’s an on–going project” – Ryan answered after a beat.

“Well, I look forward to seeing the result” – she answered, and briefly patted his hand. He managed a tight smile as he thought about his crude work so far.

“I guess this is as good a time to talk about this, so...” – Sandy cleared his throat – “Cal has invited us for Thanksgiving dinner at his place”

“That’s some forewarning, and really weird” – Seth piped up, glancing at Ryan, who couldn’t really look anyone in the eye.

“He wanted to make sure we couldn’t claim to have plans already. Guess he knows us too well” – Sandy said rather sardonically.

“It’ll be alright” – Kirsten added gently, as if making to take Ryan’s hand. He was glad she did not do it, because he was thinking about leaving the table, and didn’t want to hurt her in his suddenness.

“I didn’t say anything, whether we’ll be able to make it or not” – Sandy commented – “He’s kinda pissed, and I think he might– Bring it up during dinner this week”

“What does he care? It’s not like he’s always around for Thanksgiving anyway” – Seth protested with some heat – “And why do we even have to go over to his place? What’s wrong with having it here–”

“Seth” – Kirsten chided quietly.

“Mom–”

“I’ll try and convince him to make it more of a... Party thing” – Sandy tried to assure them – “Then maybe the girls can come over if they can. Or Luke, if you want”

“They got families of their own, dad” – Seth shot back – “I’m sure they don’t need a front row seat to our family drama” – Ryan thought he looked like he wanted to say more, but then he just shook his head and made a dismissive gesture – “Whatever, I’ll talk to Anna. You’ll, ah, you’ll ask Anna? We can all tag team Luke later, maybe he’ll wanna escape his family drama”

“Are things... Okay with his parents?” – Kirsten questioned.

“They’re getting a divorce, obviously” – Seth responded – “Luke said his dad’s still thinking about moving”

“Oh, it would be so terrible if they had to move!”

“Eh, they wouldn’t have to hear the stuff the Newpsies say about them” – Sandy put in his two pennies. Kirsten sent him a look though said nothing to that.

“Shouldn’t we wait on grandpa though?” – Seth frowned at his parents.

“Let me worry about that. Besides, I think some buffers would go over really well for him too, so...”

“Did grandpa get a new girlfriend yet?”

“Not sure, but you know Cal”

Ryan continued eating, letting the conversation continue on around them. He didn’t mind them talking about Caleb, since he’d had to contend with his time around the man every week, but his head was filled with his wind chime project, and he didn’t want to hear that Caleb was the kind of person who couldn’t be alone.

Because good to know his parents had that in common.

The thought stopped him in his tracks and Ryan had to drink some soda in order to be able to swallow the pizza he had in his mouth.

“–right?”

“Sorry?” – the Cohens were staring at him.

“Sandy and I are going out tonight, are you boys going to alright by yourselves?” – Kirsten asked, frowning worriedly.

“Mom, I just told you, we’re not kids. It’s not even the first time we’ve been alone in the house!” – Seth protested.

“I know, I know, I just...” – the look Kirsten sent him made Ryan squirm.

“If it makes you feel better, we can call the girls and ask whether they wanna hang out”

“Here? Alone?”

“Wouldn’t be the first time” – Seth stated dryly – “Don’t worry, we’re not gonna have a wild orgy or anything. Besides, Ryan and I are related, that would be gross”

“Oh Seth” – Sandy shook his head as Kirsten looked very unimpressed at her son – “Here, take some money, in case you guys want to order in” – he grabbed some bills from his wallet and slid them to Seth.

“I think I feel like going to the Crab Shack, it’s been a while”

“Well, regardless, you kids enjoy your burgers and fries, ‘cause the little lady and I are having some fancy French food”

“Please don’t call me ‘little lady’” – Kirsten chided.

“Sorry, honey”

“Yeah, dad, you’re setting a bad example”

“Enough cheek out of you”

“Never, I am made of cheek!”

“Hope you’re happy, because that is all on you” – Kirsten pointed out, sending Ryan a small amused grin that he couldn’t help but respond with one of his own.

“Hard to argue with that”

Ryan looked down at his plate and speared a lone piece of pepperoni. Trey liked pepperoni pizzas – not that he could have any at the moment, of course. Dawn had always preferred plain cheese, and he could vaguely recall his dad– Frank liking Hawaiian, which always made Trey and Ryan laugh at its weirdness.

He looked around the table, at Seth and Sandy continuous verbal spar, so quick Ryan doubted either Cohen was even listening to every word the other one was saying, and at Kirsten, indulgently eating and smiling at her son and husband. She seemed to notice Ryan’s gaze and gently, kindly cleaned his cheek with a stray napkin.

“Thanks” – he mumbled.

“Any time, sweetie”


	30. Instantaneous fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Cohens, Cal and a heated discussion

“–family event, why should there–”

“–kids, Cal! They don’t want to spend all day–”

“–not want to?! They should both learn that family–”

“–gonna go there? Really? ‘Cause I don’t think you want me to–”

“–ridiculous!”

“–damnit!”

Kirsten’s head was pounding as her husband and father continued talking about Thanksgiving. Her father had not been keen on having people outside of the family over, and what should have been a civil, nice conversation very quickly devolved into a screaming match between the usually unflappable Sandy and more often than not cool Caleb. It was a good thing it was just the three of them, because she didn’t even want to think about Seth jumping in to defend Sandy, and Ryan likely trying to blend into the walls.

“Alright you two!” – she finally snapped, and the men turned to her, still looking furious – “Will you knock it off?! Dad, please, it’s not going to be a party! It’s just Seth’s girlfriend, and a couple of the kids’ friends!”

“And why should their family not be enough?” – Caleb demanded, fully turning to face her – “Or is that too much to ask?”

“You know what, it is. If this is what Thanksgiving is going to be like, I would rather they have their friends around so it’s not just this! This, all the time!”

“What are you talking about?”

“Us, yelling at each other!”

“We are hardly yelling! We are having a civil discussion!”

“Cal, you cannot be this blind, c’mon”

“Sanford, shut up”

“Don’t tell my husband to shut up!” – Kirsten screamed, and much to her surprise, her father and husband stared at her in silence. She felt some panic creep into her chest at the realization that she had raised her voice at her father to defend Sandy.

God, she had just stood up to her father.

“Kiki–”

“Dad, please” – she pleaded quietly – “I don’t want to fight anymore”

Caleb look at her for a long time, then finally reached out to put a hand on her neck. She stiffened before he stepped over to her and kissed her forehead in a sweet, loving way that she could hardly recall him doing, even when she was a lonely, bright eyed little girl.

“I still don’t like this” – he said, patting her shoulder awkwardly and pulling away from her vicinity – “This is a time to be with family” – he paused – “It is our first Thanksgiving with Ryan”

“Dad–”

“Am I such a horrible father that my own children can’t stand to be around me for a few hours? On a family Holiday?” – he shook his head – “Don’t answer that, there’s no need”

“Cal–”

“Sanford, it’s fine. Tell the boys they can bring over their little friends, it doesn’t matter, just let me know the final tally so I can inform the caterers accordingly” – Caleb stated rigidly.

“Dad!” – Kirsten took a deep breath – “It’s not that we don’t want to spend time with you, it’s not that the kids don’t want to spend Thanksgiving just between family, it’s just– It hasn’t been easy for them, it hasn’t been easy for any of us, and we don’t... We don’t want it to be any more difficult than it has to be”

“Why should it be that difficult anyway?” – Caleb demanded.

“Because it IS Ryan’s first Thanksgiving with us” – Kirsten replied quietly. Caleb frowned.

“Yes, I just said that”

“Dad, I just... I want Ryan to feel like... I don’t know, but I don’t want him to feel bad about this day, I want him to be comfortable and, and... I want him to have a good time. I want him to lay back and relax for once”

Caleb stared at her for a long moment before shaking his head.

“Do whatever you think is best, Kiki, just... Let me know how many people I should expect” – he stopped and frowned deeply – “Have you heard from your sister lately?”

“Not for a while” – since she had taken upon herself to call Hailey to let her know about their little brother. Needless to say, it had not been a good talk, and Hailey had not called back after she angrily hung up on Kirsten.

“Well, she should be here if she can” – he snorted – “She must be running out of money by now, I’m sure”

“Right”

“Well, I should be going. Tell the boys I said ‘hello’”

“... Will do”

“Goodbye Sanford”

“Bye, Cal, drive safe, don’t go getting into any accidents”

“You are not nearly as funny as you seem to think”

“Duly noted, and thank you for being honest as ever”

“Again. Not funny”

“Gotta keep trying” – Caleb nonetheless gave Sandy a final irritated look before leaving – “That went well” – Sandy stated, walking over to Kirsten and wrapping his arms around her.

“God, Thanksgiving is gonna suck” – she mumbled against his shoulder.

“At least the food will be good, your dad always gets the good caterers”

“Hope so”

“Are you going to call Hailey? Want me to do it?”

“No, no, I should do it, she’s my sister”

“Well, the lines are getting a little blurry around here, so I figured I’d at least offer” – she smiled a little.

“I know what you mean”

“Hey, at least the kids will have their friends, if anything happens, Luke can drive the getaway car, I’m sure he’s good at it”

“Better him than Seth”

“Talk about danger on wheels” – they chuckled a little – “Wait. Does Ryan have a driver’s license?”

“Hum?”

“It’s never occurred to me”

“Oh. I never really considered it either”

“I’ll ask ‘im, if he doesn’t, I’ll drive him down to take the test, get it straightened out”

“And we can start thinking about shopping for a car for him, Seth can’t shuttle him around forever”

“Sure. Although something tells me the kid will not be happy about it”

“About a car of his own?”

“He’s still grumpy about having his own room in the house”

“Well, we couldn’t send him off to the pool house! That’s ridiculous!”

“Yes, and he’s Ryan, so” – she sighed.

“Some days I wish he had just been some kid your brought home, you know?”

“I know”

“But then I just... I love him so much”

“If he weren’t so cute, I’d be jealous by now”

“Oh, Sandy”

“What? Younger man, fit, smart, knows how to cook? Dangerous combo”

“Silly man”

“His family is a little wacky, but I think it’s easy to ignore it”

“We are wacky” – she agreed quietly, still clinging to him.

“Hey, c’mon, you’ve survived Cohen family reunions, you’ve seen us, and we all came out mostly unharmed, it’ll be fine. Cal is a piece of work and he needs to forever work on his emotions and overall not being a jackass, but, he’s not all bad”

“Of course not, but–”

“It’ll be fine, honey. Ryan is a tough kid, he can handle himself. Besides, if Cal gets out of line, it’s not like Ryan’s not gonna have enough people on his corner to bat for him”

“True. I think Anna might like him better than she likes Seth, and Lindsay is the sweetest girl, but something tells me you shouldn’t cross her”

“I wouldn’t. Plus, Seth loves his brother, he’d scratch Cal’s face off if he got too pushy”

“We have two teenage sons, can you believe it?”

“I’ve had my kid for sixteen years, it was about time you had yours”

“Yeah. You better watch out, I might just dump you and run away with him”

“Don’t even think about it, that kid loves me best”

“He does not”

“Okay, that was a bluff, obviously he’s a momma’s boy, but, what can I say? So am I”

“... This has taken a weird turn”

“You started it”

“I did not”

They started laughing and continue bickering even as they moved on to the kitchen for some wine and leftover food to snack over.


	31. Thorn to the side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Cohens (and friends), the Nichols (and alcohol) and giving Thanks

“I hope you know what you’re getting into” – Seth warned solemnly as he drove into his grandfather’s mansion. Beside him, Anna rolled her eyes heavenly, and Lindsay made a noise to cover up a snort.

Ryan remained quiet, as he had been since they departed the Cohen house to go and get the girls.

“Cohen, today of all days, please don’t even” – Anna retorted.

“Just trying to lighten the mood” – Seth mumbled – “Besides, family drama will be at new heights today” – he tried and failed not to look at Ryan via the rearview mirror.

“You have never been a real Stern family reunion, you don’t know what family drama is all about, trust me, my grandfather makes yours look a real life Santa Claus”

“Minus the beard” – Seth couldn’t quite help himself.

“Seth”

“Sorry, sorry” – he parked beside his parents’ car and took a deep breath – “Look, seriously, today is gonna be rough, I just– You know. You can get my car and drive off if you want, you don’t have to come” – Anna looked back and Seth could practically sense Lindsay’s stare back.

“We’re not leaving” – the red head stated flatly – “Besides, I already told my mom I was coming and bringing back some rich people food” – she added with a sass Seth wondered if he’d fed into over the time they had been hanging out.

“Fair enough, I think the guys grandpa hired already know the drill and must have little doggie bags at the ready”

“Maybe we should go in” – Ryan spoke up suddenly – “They must’ve heard us coming” – he finished, turning to give Seth a blank look.

They went in without another word, and Seth had barely a moment to notice Lindsay holding Ryan’s hand before the door was thrown open by a very familiar woman.

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite nephew” – Hailey stated with a widening smirk – “And you must be my new little brother”

Seth didn’t think he imagined Anna’s hand tightening against his, or maybe he was holding hers tighter. Either way... Yikes.

 

Inside, things were about as Seth thought they might be the moment Hailey opened the door.

Kirsten was nursing a glass of wine and very clearly trying to keep her distance from her father, who was quietly (but furiously) speaking to Sandy. Hailey simply waltzed over to the bar and poured herself a frighteningly large glass of vodka and juice. Seth was kind of bummed he was the worst drunk ever, because he had a feeling a sip or two would be just the thing to get through the night. Maybe Ryan was better with his alcohol, because if Seth needed a beer to loosen up, surely his brother would need something a lot stronger.

Given the way the Nichol sisters were chugging it, as it were, Seth had the sudden realization that Ryan could fit right in – if he liked his alcohol too. Glancing over to the menfolk, sure enough, Caleb was gripping a tumbler of scotch hard enough to break it.

“Well! Isn’t this nice, the entire clan!” – he managed to blurt out, giving in to the desire to break some of the tension threatening to suffocate everyone in the room. Kirsten sighed deeply and walked over.

“Hey” – she looked at Ryan – “I...” – she passed a hand through her hair, as if unsure of herself, which was odd to witness – “If you want, there’s juice and snacks in the other room” – she cleared her throat – “Maybe it would be best if you stayed there for now” – she proposed quietly.

“So, Seth!” – Hailey called out, strutting to the teenagers – “Not going to introduce me to these lovely ladies? Any of them your girlfriend?”

“Er, yeah, yeah” – he turned to Anna, who put on a friendly grin, and Lindsay, who managed to smile, if briefly – “This is Anna, and yes, my girlfriend, and Lindsay” – he paused – “We all go to school together” – he finished.

“Isn’t that adorable, my nephew has a girlfriend! Took you long enough”

“Hailey” – Kirsten reprimanded.

“What? He’s been single for the last sixteen years, so excuse me for being surprised he’s finally taken”

“It’s okay, mom, I guess it would be surprising, you know, considering how long it’s been since we last saw Hailey” – Seth kept a wide eyed, sweet expression on his face even as Kirsten appeared shocked at his rudeness, and Hailey squinted.

“Yeah, well, I’ve been busy” – she said coldly, eyes turning to Ryan – “And you, little brother” – her voice dripped with sarcasm – “No girlfriend? Boyfriend?”

“Not at the moment” – Ryan replied evenly with a shrug.

“Handsome boy like you? Hard to believe. Gotta say, it’s shocking how much you look like my dad! Oh, excuse me, OUR dad. And Kirsten. So blond, blue eyed” – she snorted and shook her head – “I need another drink” – she mumbled and walked away without another word.

“I’m so sorry–” – Kirsten started saying.

“Don’t worry about it” – Ryan interrupted.

“Ryan!” – Caleb exclaimed, looking happier than usual – “So glad you could make it. And... Your friends?”

“My girlfriend, Anna” – Seth jumped in – “And Lindsay”

“Your other girlfriend?” – Caleb questioned sardonically.

“I wish” – Anna gave him a look – “What?” – Lindsay gave him a look – “What!”

“Since you’re all here now, I suppose we could start” – Caleb announced. Sandy shot Kirsten a look from across the room, and Seth frowned at that.

“Sure, dad” – Kirsten finally said, motioning the teens to follow her.

Before they headed off, Seth noticed Hailey down the rest of her drink.

Well.

 

To say that all the dinners and lunches Seth had attended with his grandfather since Ryan–gate had been uncomfortable would be an understatement, however, he didn’t think they could get any worse.

Naturally, he was proven very, very wrong.

Caleb sat at the head of the table, flanked by his daughters. Sandy quickly took a seat beside Hailey, Ryan silently sat beside Kirsten after Caleb commanded it, Seth right after him, Lindsay across from him and finally Anna to his right.

Everyone turned to stare at the man before he finally allowed the caterers to start serving.

“Isn’t this nice?” – Hailey mocked as she poked at her salad – “The best Thanksgiving ever, am I right?”

“Hailey” – Caleb nearly barked and she simply rolled her eyes.

“What? I can’t say that yet? Yeah, you’re right, maybe I should wait until we get to dessert to judge”

“Perhaps we should go around the table and say what we are all thankful for”

“Seriously?” – Hailey wrinkled her nose in distaste. Seth wasn’t that enthused about it himself, but he noticed his mom squaring her shoulders.

“How about I start?” – Kirsten tried to sound perky, but Seth thought it was pretty obvious she was anything but.

“Thank you, Kiki” – Caleb allowed.

“I’m thankful for my growing family, lovely friends included” – she smiled at Lindsay and turned to Anna with equal fondness.

“I’m thankful for good food, good children, a wonderful wife, and great waves this year” – Sandy piped up next, winking at his wife. His good humor seemed to drop when he glanced at Ryan.

“I’m thankful I managed to snag me a good one” – Seth steamrolled right on, opening a wide grin.

“Wow, and thank you for that” – Anna commented before clearing her throat – “Hm... I guess I’m thankful that my parents decided to move, otherwise I never would have met Seth or made such good friends. Present company and beyond”

“How sweet” – Hailey interjected, and Seth winced in anticipation – “Shall I go next? I will. Let me think... So much to be thankful for this year! I mean, I have accomplished nothing with my life, as I have been told many a times by my family” – she motioned to Kirsten and Caleb with her wine glass.

“Hailey–” – Caleb tried to interrupt but was promptly shushed.

Hailey shushed him. Boy, and Seth thought things were going to be bad. Sandy put his hand over his eyes and Kirsten put hers over her mouth as Caleb downright stared at his younger daughter.

“I have lived my life and enjoyed myself by using my daddy’s money... Except now I guess I’m going to have to work on that, since I have the cutest little brother in the world! Who’s clearly trying to show me up, right, perfect child? Smart, good at sports, polite and looks exactly like dad when he was younger? Pss, how can I ever compete with that!”

“Hailey, stop this” – Kirsten hissed as Hailey got up in a rage.

“No! No, maybe you’re fine with having some kid show up and be our brother but I’m not! Our brother?! What a joke! He’s the same age as Seth! Jesus Christ, dad, were you cheating on mom when your daughter was getting married?! Where the hell did he even come from? Did you know about him before he waltzed into our lives? Somehow, that little tidbit escaped Kirsten when she told me about ‘im!”

Caleb stood up and grabbed her by the arm, angrily telling her to stop it, but she just started yelling back at him increasingly incomprehensible insults and accusations.

“Ryan, wait–” – Kirsten tried, and Seth was finally able to tear his eyes away from the loud argument between father and son to see his brother nearly running out of the room.

“I’ll go” – Sandy stated before Seth could, and he had to watch him go after the escaping blond.

“Okay, I give, you were right” – Anna commented under her breath.

“Famous last words”


	32. Zone of danger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sandy, Ryan and some sisterly agression

Sandy found Ryan sitting at the top of the staircase, leaning against the wall and looking absolutely dejected. It tore into Sandy to see him like that – he didn’t know it was possible for Ryan to look like that in the first place.

“Hey, kid” – he greeted, carefully sitting beside Ryan, but far enough not to crowd him – “Welcome to the Nichol family, I guess” – that didn’t make the teen react in the least so he kept on going – “Hailey is not usually this... Like this, she can be really– Fun and not a mean drunk at all”

“That wasn’t that mean” – Ryan mumbled, pushing his hair out of his eyes.

“No, it was. She had no right to say–”

“It’s her family, she can say whatever she wants to” – the kid interrupted coolly.

“Well, it’s your family too”

“I didn’t choose this” – Ryan said almost too quiet to hear, and Sandy gently put his arm around his shoulders. The teen was stiff but didn’t push him away.

“Yeah. God, this family. You know that if we knew this was going to happen, we wouldn’t have even come, right?”

“I know”

“Do you?”

“Sure”

“Sorry. I’m just really sorry, kid. I don’t even know what to say, except– Hailey has issues with Caleb and Kirsten that have absolutely nothing to do with you. Trust me, this has been a long time coming”

“How long has it been since you last saw her?”

“Few years” – Sandy confessed, slowly feeling Ryan loosening up under his arm – “She comes, Caleb gives her money, she hangs around the house, I mean, our house, she usually stays in the pool house actually, then she takes off again, usually without telling anyone”

“Right”

“Caleb thought it would be such a nice surprise not to tell us she’s come back” – Sandy couldn’t hide the bitterness from his voice – “I figured she’d react badly to, you know, I mean, she’s used to being the screw–up, to having Kirsten and Cal bailing her out, sometimes literally, and now you’re here and you’re– I mean, she wasn’t wrong, you are a great kid”

Ryan remained absolutely silent. And small, he looked so small.

“It will be alright. It’s family, kid, and it’s gonna be alright”

“Is it?” – Ryan asked softly, hesitantly.

“Of course it is, trust me” – Sandy watched as the teen stopped and truly considered his words.

“–your job?!” – Hailey’s scream broke through, and Ryan immediately froze up. Sandy could hear his sister–in–law stomping into the foyer, and hoped beyond hope that she didn’t say anything too–

“Yes, I quit”

“You?! You just walked away? Never thought I’d see the day you threw away the chance to suck up to dad!”

“At least I worked for my money”

“Oh, always this, this, this!”

“Hard not to bring it up”

“And oh, dear sister, what ever made you quit after all these years under daddy’s thumb?”

“Hailey, Kiki, stop this at once!” – Caleb roared.

“No, dad, I want to know, or am I no longer a member of this family?”

“If you must know, I quit because I want to do something of myself”

“Oh, like I’m not?”

“Stop trying to make it about you, this isn’t about you at all”

“Sure feels like it”

“How!”

“Whatever, KIKI. Well, are you making something of yourself right now? Found yourself already?”

“No, I haven’t, but at least I’m looking”

“Right, of course you are”

“What does that mean?”

“Kiki–”

“Dad, please stop. C’mon, Hailey, tell me. You seem so intent on being straight and honest, so give it to me straight, I can take it”

“You can take anything, right? You’re still so good with dad even though he had a kid with some woman he cheated on mom with!”

Sandy didn’t dare look at Ryan, but the way his shoulders felt like they were made of rock told him all he needed to know.

“He’s still my father, and he’s Ryan’s father, no matter the circumstances”

“The circumstances being him cheating!”

“Yes, Hailey, dad cheated on mom! Everyone knows it! Everyone! And do you think we haven’t talked about this?! Dad KNOWS how I feel about it!”

“Kiki, I–”

“Dad! For the last time, stop!”

“God, how can you just forgive him–”

“I haven’t forgiven him! But he’s my father and I love him! I love him despite everything!”

“You are so–”

“Stop talking, Hailey! Do you think it’s easy for me to admit that I love him in spite of knowing he cheated on mom and had a kid with another woman?! But I do!”

“And you love that kid too, I’ll bet”

“Of course I do! Why shouldn’t I?!”

“Because he represents everything that’s wrong about this family! He’s everything dad always preached we shouldn’t do! Mix with people outside of Newport, sleep around, and I’m sure he would normally have SOMETHING to say about us cheating on our–”

“Don’t talk about Ryan like you–”

“He’s my brother too, right? So I think I can talk about him–”

“No, you can’t! Don’t you dare talk about him like this! Like he’s– Like he’s less just because of the way he–”

“You barely even know anything about this kid! Just because he’s being a little angel now doesn’t mean–”

“Stop it! Stop it! You don’t know ANYTHING about Ryan! You don’t know the first thing about him!”

“Maybe I should stick around then, huh? Get to know this kid you welcomed into your house and all. Why is he living with you and not dad, by the way? He IS dad’s kid and not yours, right?”

Glancing sideways, Sandy winced at the way Ryan’s hands fisted over his knees as the silence between the sisters stretched on.

“Ryan is with us because that’s what best for him” – Kirsten at last answered, sounding tired but resolute – “Dad knows it, so please don’t even bring that up. And I would love it if you stuck around, Hailey, and I’m sure that Ryan wouldn’t mind getting to know you either, but I can’t have you in my house, I’m sorry”

“What? But I always stay at the pool house” – Hailey protested weakly, as if just at exhausted by the argument as Kirsten.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t have you in my house right now, not after... This. I don’t want you being around Ryan if you can’t–” – she took a deep breath – “I’m sorry” – she repeated.

Sandy heard them walking away soon after, and he finally turned to look at Ryan.

“Is that really why Kirsten quit?” – the teen questioned, and Sandy frowned confusedly.

“What?”

“She hasn’t– She hasn’t found a new job yet”

“Oh. Hum, I mean” – he paused to find the correct words – “Kirsten wasn’t happy about her job at the Newport Group, she hadn’t been in years. I mean, no offense, but Cal is not an easy man to work for, and given our new– Given the changes in our family, she just didn’t want to keep on working under so much stress. Trust me, she made it look easy and breezy, but I have never seen someone work as hard as Kirsten, and it was just too much for her to take”

“So it wasn’t–?”

“It wasn’t you, kid” – Sandy tried to reassure him and Ryan seemed to believe him somewhat.

“Should we... Go back?”

“May be for the best, ‘cause I am starving. Hope you don’t mind cold turkey, I’m pretty sure that’s all we’re gonna have”

“I don’t mind it”

“At least the pies should be nice and warm. Hmm, sweet potato” – Ryan gave him a weird look but didn’t hide his shy smile as they got up and walked down the stairs.


	33. Never one to walk away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan, plans and a preparation for doom. Or a lunch

It was two weeks until Christmas, or Chrismukkah, if Seth was to be believed, and Ryan was locked in the pool house.

After Thanksgiving, he went to see Catherine to ask for her opinion about Chrismukkah presents. She had raised an eyebrow as she looked over his finished wind chime, and her smile made him want to squirm in place, but she patted his shoulder and informed him he had an eye for detail, which was something she had told him a few times before, though this time, he wondered if he was, in fact, developing some degree of ability with carving small, delicate things. The daisies and butterflies he’d carved into the base of the wind chime hadn’t come out that terrible, and Seth had hummed over them and said he thought his mom would ‘flip out’, which Ryan didn’t understand but accepted without comment.

“Your dad is a lawyer, huh?” – Catherine questioned, and once again, Ryan didn’t correct her.

“Yes”

“And your brother likes nerdy stuff?”

“I guess, yes”

“What about that girlfriend of yours?”

“She’s not my–”

“Your friend who is a girl and isn’t dating anyone, then”

“... She likes books? And classical music”

“Cool. And you want to make her something too?”

“Maybe something... Simple? Like a book stand?”

“Uh. Yes, that’s a great idea for someone who likes to read, for sure. Hm... Would your dad like something for his office, maybe?”

“I... Guess”

“Pen holder? Uh, a name plate! All fancy and personalized, can’t get that anywhere else”

“Right”

“Now, your brother...”

“He likes horses, he has a plastic horse... Doll, I don’t know. But I think that wouldn’t be possible with the time I have”

“True, true. You could try to make a keychain with a horse’s head. Or is that creepy? Or just a keychain with his name... Or something else he might like”

“Hm”

“Anyone else?”

“Oh, just... Seth’s girlfriend and another friend. Guy friend” – he added when she started smirking.

“Well, I doubt I’m throwing out super original ideas here, so how about this? Take pictures and send me via e–mail, I’ll check ‘em out, or you can come over and show me how you’re doing”

“I... I don’t have a camera”

“Can’t you borrow one?”

“No, I– Maybe, I don’t know”

“Well, come over if you like, or trust your instincts, kid, you got this! But seriously, borrow a camera and take pictures of the finished products, I wanna see it all! Like this thing” – she motioned to the wind chime – “Varnish it, that’s my only advice, ‘cause I don’t think paint would show all the little details as well. Plus, you got a good, dark wood, you wanna show that, and your mom will love it”

“Yeah, thanks”

“Knock ‘em dead” – she winked shamelessly and Ryan had the sudden realization that she reminded him of a craftier and prettier Sandy.

With Seth running interference on the increasingly curious Sandy and Kirsten, Ryan was able to work long hours on his Chrismukkah presents. He finished Lindsay’s first, as it wasn’t too difficult, and he smiled when he put one of his textbooks on it and it neither fell nor looked crooked. He carved her first name on the back in what he hoped was a pretty enough lettering; considering that Seth’s handwriting was kind of illegible, he didn’t think he could trust his opinion on the matter – anything was better than Seth’s writing (outside of his comics, of course).

After some thought, he decided on a simple name plate and card holder for Sandy. He debated upon using Sanford or Sandy, but Seth shook his head mockingly and said his dad would NOT like it if it read ‘Sanford Cohen’, no matter how much he would nonetheless appreciate Ryan’s efforts. The blond had to agree, and, like the book stand, he finished these two fairly quickly.

Next came a name plate for Luke that he could hang from his door handle. It was very simple, but Ryan hoped the other boy would like it enough; they weren’t that good friends yet, but the jock was going through something rough, and Ryan could be sympathetic to his plight. Afterwards, he put some work into a box he painted to make it look like a book for Anna; while nothing special, he thought she’d enjoy having a secret compartment to hide things in.

Seth’s keychains, one with his full name and one with a crude horse’s head that he hoped even vaguely resembled Captain Oats’ were the last things he did, as he had to consult with Catherine as to how best to finish them; these he hadn’t let Seth anywhere near, no matter the amount of whining he had to put up with.

“Hey man” – Seth greeted from the door – “Mom said you have to go and take a shower and change or she’s coming over to drag you out, and you ain’t never seen her do that. Trust me, I still got the claw marks to prove that she will totally do it”

“Sure, yeah, I’m coming right out” – Ryan threw a sheet over his work, making mental notes to check if he had enough varnish for all of it, and quickly met with Seth – “Don’t go inside” – he warned playfully.

“I would never!” – Seth put a hand over his heart even as they rushed inside.

“Yes you would”

“I can’t believe you would besmirch my honor thusly, sir!”

“What’s this, Jane Austen?” – Sandy quipped from his spot on the counter, munching on a cookie as Kirsten frowned at him.

“There you are” – she said, moving her gaze to Ryan – “Now, go take a shower, change into some nice clothes–”

“Maybe not the suit, though” – Seth stated dryly and earned himself a poke in the stomach from Sandy.

“–or we’ll be late, and we really shouldn’t be late”

“It’s just grandpa and aunt Hailey anyway” – Seth grumbled under his breath, massaging his stomach with a pout.

“Excuse me, what was that?” – Kirsten demanded with a hard stare.

“Sorry, I’m just gonna...” – Ryan said, escaping to get ready as the Cohens started bickering.

As he quickly showered, he almost slipped when he dropped the soap.

“Fu– Damnit” – he cursed, bending down to retrieve it.

In his rush to make presents for his family and friends, he had somehow forgotten all about his other family members. He could only hope Seth had something planned and would allow him to pitch in, because he knew very little about Caleb’s likes and dislikes, and practically nothing about Hailey, who had made no effort to get to know him, choosing not to join Caleb in his usual weekly meal at the Cohens.

By the time he managed to get back downstairs, Seth and Sandy were fighting over the last bagel in sight, and Kirsten was humming over her cellphone, which she had been doing a lot of lately.

“Sorry, I’m ready now” – he said, definitely not squirming when Kirsten looked at him and smiled.

“You look so handsome! Shall we?” – she threw her husband and son a look and they quickly dropped the bagel with wide eyed expressions.

“Just another night with the Nichols” – Seth stated sardonically as they walked to the car.

“Don’t be mean” – Kirsten retorted as they went in.

“Well, it’s not like anyone’s having that much fun with these things” – Seth mumbled. Ryan had to agree with him, albeit only silently; he doubted any of the Cohens had any desire to meet with Caleb and Hailey.

“It’s still family, so we’re going, and we’re going to smile and eat and be polite” – Kirsten said firmly – “Besides, your aunt said she’s going away before the Holidays, so it’s probably going to be a long time before we see her again, we should make the most of it”

“She could always come over to hang out, but she’s just– Doing whatever all day since Thanksgiving”

“... True enough, but she’s still leaving soon, so”

“I’ll be good, mom, don’t worry”

“And no baiting your grandfather” – Sandy added – “I know it’s tempting, but try to keep it together, kiddo”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll try, but it’s kinda hard when he’s being a di–”

“Seth!” – Kirsten interrupted.

“Alright! Geez. Then don’t let HIM bait me, ‘cause it’s not like it’s always a one–way street”

“Fine”

“And we get to order dessert” – he proposed.

“Oh, I’m with him” – Sandy piped up, grinning across the rearview mirror, and Ryan hid a little smile as he turned to look out the window.

Kirsten simply sighed and threw her hair back, but if Seth’s soft giggle was any indication, it was a win for the Cohen boys.


	34. Bonds that hold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Cohens, Nichols and a (tense) lunch

Hailey looked bright and happy, and Kirsten was instantly on edge when she enthusiastically embraced each Cohen boy, Ryan last, and for the longest time, much to the blond’s clear discomfort. With gentle and quick hands, Kirsten made sure he sat as far away from Hailey as possible, though it wasn’t that much considering the size of the table anyway.

“Our last family dinner for a while” – Hailey cooed, smiling widely at everyone – “I mean, who knows when we’ll be able to be together like this again?”

“Maybe if you were in town more often...” – Caleb nearly grumbled before motioning a waiter over to get their drink orders. He was on club soda, from what Kirsten could tell, so at least it wasn’t that bad.

Her sister was sipping on a Long Island Iced Tea.

“Oh, dad, c’mon! Someone in the family has to leave the shackles of Newport and the O.C.! I mean, you’re not exactly a spring chicken, Kirsten has her family to worry about, not to mention she has to find a new job, right sis?” – the way Hailey winked at Kirsten said all too much about what kind of night they had walked into. Beside her, Sandy sighed, and, yeah, Kirsten agreed wholly with him.

“If this is how it’s going to be–” – she began, but Hailey shushed her.

“Kiki, c’mon, chill! Just making conversation! Where was I? Oh, right. And our adorable baby brother is way too young to be traipsing around the globe like his big sister! Right?” – Ryan remained quiet, staring intently at the table – “A man of few words, just like dad” – she said, her tone chipper but cutting.

“Hailey” – Kirsten hissed – “Dad, I’m not going to just sit here and let my family listen to all of this–”

“All of what?” – Hailey demanded, suddenly a lot less sweet.

“You know what. And I thought we had settled all of this at Thanksgiving”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, dear sister”

“Will you drop that tone? It’s–” – they all stayed silent as the waiter gave them their drinks – “You know what I’m talking about, don’t pretend that you don’t” – Kirsten finished, much softer.

“Girls, please, can’t we just have a nice dinner?” – Caleb stated more than asked – “Haven’t we had enough of this crap at Thanksgiving? I, for one, am sick and tired of this”

“You have a teenage son now, dad, you really should get used to it” – Hailey couldn’t help herself and only Sandy’s hand tightly holding hers made Kirsten not lash out right there and then.

“And you said we should be polite and make nice” – Seth mumbled, but still loud enough for everyone to hear.

“Speak up, Seth, will you?” – Hailey almost snapped at him. He blinked and straighten up from his slouch, looking his aunt in the eye with something of Sandy’s ruthless lawyer persona, and Kirsten’s abrasive Newpsie mask.

“Oh, I’m sorry, are you too old to hear me? I said, mom told us to shut up and be nice, ‘cause you’re getting the hell out of town soon, now that I’m sure you’ve gotten what you came for, and there’s no need to make waves, but, look, look” – he made a very wide, very sarcastic motion, even as his face remained stone cold – “Waves! Right here, inside the restaurant! I am shocked, shocked I say! But they are all you, I’ve done nothing. Right, mom, dad? I’ve been good? I’m drinking my soda, I’m gonna order some pasta and shrimp, and I’m gonna be a–okay tonight” – his smile wasn’t quite a smirk, but Kirsten could only watch as Hailey narrowed her eyes and Caleb had to grab her arm.

“Enough. Everyone, enough” – he growled – “I will not have my family fighting like this. Now, Kirsten is right, we should all just be quiet and eat, if we can’t be pleasant at all. Or, those who can be pleasant in the least may speak, otherwise, stuff your faces for all I care, but shut up”

“Well said” – Sandy spoke for the first time since they arrived – “So, Cal, I guess someone should ask this sooner or later, how’s work?”

Much to Kirsten’s surprise, her father was only his usual slightly condescending self to Sandy, and aside from a comment or two about how everything was a little harried since Kirsten’s sudden exit from the Newport Group, he was perfectly... Nice about it. And although she didn’t regret leaving, she did enjoy listening to what everyone was up to; it had been a huge part of her life for all of her adult life, after all. Seth looked bored beyond words, for several minutes, until he managed to get Ryan’s attention, and soon the boys were smiling, clearly commiserating on how terribly the night began, and how dull it looked like it was going to be.

Eventually the food came, and it got all a little more animated as Hailey broke her silence to talk about some of her travels, no one mentioning a thing about where she got the money for them, or why she felt like she needed to spend so much time away from family. Seth and Ryan chuckled, lost in their little world, over their dishes, the former mischievously stealing Ryan’s potatoes, but the latter was very skilled at spearing Seth’s shrimp in retaliation, to his theatric dismay.

“So, where are you headed now?” – Kirsten questioned Hailey, who sent her an annoyed look for a brief moment before shrugging.

“Hawaii, I think. Or Japan, I don’t know yet” – Kirsten could see Seth twitch, as if holding back from making a comment.

“Well, send us a postcard when you get there” – from the way her sister stared at her, Kirsten wondered if that sounded as bitter and passive–aggressive as she hoped it didn’t.

“I’ll be sure to do that” – Hailey replied with a very sad excuse for a sweet smile – “So, baby brother–”

“Hailey” – Kirsten tried, but the younger woman waved a condescending hand at her as Ryan and Seth slowly turned to look at her.

“Dad has talked a whole lot about your brand new life in Newport, so tell me about it. And you, Seth, I guess. Got a girlfriend, huh?” – the brothers traded looks and Seth cleared his throat.

“Yeap, I finally got myself a girlfriend. Anna” – he said succinctly.

“Cool. And you, Ry? Any girls in the horizon?”

“Not really” – Ryan replied quietly – “I don’t have the time for that”

“Oh? A cute guy like you?” – Hailey winked shamelessly – “Must be having a hard time getting them off your back”

“Nothing like that” – Kirsten immediately thought of Lindsay, and how sweet the two always were with each other. No, there really weren’t girls throwing themselves at Ryan, and it was just as well. 

“You got time for that, I guess. Kiki met Sandy in college, you know”

“I know”

“Just make sure she’s not a gold digger, we don’t like gold diggers in this family”

“Right” – although Ryan’s tone was perfectly flat, Kirsten couldn’t help but wonder what was on his mind, given what he now knew about their sister.

In the dark of night, Kirsten could tell herself that she loved her sister, but sometimes Hailey cared too much about herself and what others could provide her. Sandy knew about it, just as she knew his darkest thoughts, however it was never something she could fully say out loud.

“Thank you for that pearl of wisdom, it’s good for everyone in Newport, I’m sure” – Seth interjected sarcastically. Kirsten opened her mouth to tell him to be nicer, but Hailey beat her to it.

“Well, clearly someone has to say it” – the younger woman stated coolly.

“Pretty sure that’s a lesson for everyone at this table”

“Excuse me?”

“Okay, maybe we don’t need to–” – Kirsten started.

“No, no, I wanna know. Please, my dear nephew, what do you mean by that?”

“Sorry, no can do, I was told to be a good boy tonight, you know” – Kirsten saw Hailey’s jaw tighten and Caleb frown at his daughter and grandson.

“What’s happening?” – he questioned, having been a little too into his conversation with Sandy to notice their exchange.

“Seth was just about to tell me–”

“I wasn’t going to say anything–”

“This again?” – Sandy mumbled as he rubbed his eyes tiredly.

“Alright, you two, settle down” – Cal tried, but Hailey wasn’t going to back down, and Kirsten could see Seth’s stubbornness in his eyes.

“No, Seth, c’mon, tell me, I can handle it”

“What, because you’re such a big girl?” – Seth’s voice was harsh and cold, and Kirsten couldn’t even recognize it.

“Next to you, I definitely am”

“At least I’m still a teenager, so I can act as much as an irresponsible idiot as I want”

“Oh, and I’m an irresponsible idiot?” – Hailey demanded in a hiss.

“If the hat fits”

“You are such a child, you don’t know anything–”

“I know that you can barely hang in there on your own, even though you’re supposedly to be an adult. How’s that handout grandpa gave you going?” – Kirsten gasped, and Hailey looked like Seth had slapped her. Sandy held Kirsten’s hand firmly, Caleb looked pale and shocked, and Ryan continued staring down.

“That’s– You don’t know what you’re talking about” – Hailey attempted, her anger overwhelmed by a multitude of other warring sentiments.

“I’m pretty sure I’m old enough to know why you even keep coming back even though you don’t give two craps about anyone here”

“Seth–”

“Mom, you know it’s true”

“It’s not” – Hailey whispered, closing into herself – “You’re wrong”

“Except I’m not really, am I? There’s gotta be a reason why you don’t know a thing about me, or that mom had quit, and you can’t even make an effort to really get to know your own brother. I mean, c’mon, I’ll bet you don’t even know how grandpa likes his coffee! Black with cinnamon, by the way”

“He doesn’t like cinnamon” – Hailey retorted, almost automatically.

“He does on his coffee. I accidently put some in his cup once when I was a kid and he ended up liking it. You’d know if you actually paid attention to anyone other than yourself–”

“Seth!” – Kirsten exclaimed, and he closed his mouth with a nearly audible click.

“... Sorry” – he said under his breath and slouched in his seat. He moodily pushed a cold piece of shrimp around as silence enveloped the table.

“Hailey–” – Kirsten started, but Hailey simply shook her head, got up and walked away without a backwards glance.

Caleb looked after her with something of regret in his face, and it tore into Kirsten. Should she go after her?

“That was unkind of you, Seth” – Cal stated evenly.

“I guess” – the teen replied with a shrug.

“Did you have to say all of those things?”

“Someone should’ve told her how selfish she is a long time ago” – Seth argued, sounding much more bitter and mature than Kirsten was used to from him.

“Be that as it may, I would ask you to refrain next time”

“... Fine, whatever”

“Seth” – Sandy chided.

“Right. Sorry, grandpa, I’ll try to– Do better next time or whatever”

“Thank you” – Caleb snorted, much to everyone’s surprise – “Excuse me”

“You doing okay there, Cal?” – Sandy asked, bemusedly as the older man opened a small grin, like he couldn’t quite control it.

“Yes, of course”

“... Alrighty then. So... Coffee, dessert, everyone?”


	35. Harm not

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seth and a couple of moments of levity

Not long after the worst meal of his life, and Seth had plenty to choose from, Hailey left town.

No one seemed too broken up about it, even his grandfather, who called the house and questioned Kirsten about their Christmas (or Chrismukkah, as it were) plans. Afterwards, she commented he sounded perfectly fine and normal, even after being once again deserted by his own daughter (not that Kirsten put it that way, but Seth could read between the lines just fine), and lightly asked if they would mind terribly if they spent either Christmas or Christmas Eve with him.

On one hand, Seth wanted to pout and kick a chair, and the other hand, he remembered Lindsay tentatively commenting on how lonely the Nichol mansion looked, which he had never truly thought about. His grandfather had always had his girlfriends and travels, and he often stormed into the Cohen house whenever he pleased, so it never occurred to Seth that maybe the man could possibly be solitary.

“I guess we could go out to eat or something” – he proposed, and Kirsten smiled and kissed his cheek. He had to make a big deal about cleaning his face, however he could see her relief. 

Maybe she also knew that Caleb Nichol was bigger than life, but even a man like that could feel all alone when his family turned their back on him.

“Great! Are you inviting everyone over?”

“Anna is going to be in Pittsburgh, gah, Lindsay said she would check with her mom, but I kinda said she could bring her with her?”

“Of course” – Kirsten promptly conceded.

“Not sure what’s going on with Luke, but I told ‘im to stop by some time” – he paused, not wanting to blab about Ryan’s gifts – “That’s it, the friends list is over”

“Great. I think your father was going to try and invite the Coopers, you know, if they can take the time to come over, and maybe one of his office friends... I’m not entirely sure right now. So... That’s it, I guess”

“Cool”

“So...”

“What?”

“About the pool house”

“Nope, no, no”

“Please?! I’m dying to know what he’s doing in there!”

“You’re just gonna have to wait, like everybody else”

“Is it a present?”

“Mom, stop it. How old are you?”

“Old enough to be your mother, mister. Please?”

“Why are you even asking me? Ask Ryan! If he wants to, he’ll tell you”

“But he won’t~! I’ve tried already!”

“Then you should just chill out and wait. Geez, mom, and you said I was obnoxious when I was a kid?”

“Are you calling your mother obnoxious?” – Sandy questioned with a chuckle, waltzing into the kitchen after a long day.

“She keeps asking about the pool house”

“Ah, the pool house, yes, I’ve heard” – he gave his wife a look – “Honey, don’t try to make Seth narc on Ryan, I’m sure it’s nothing bad”

“Well, of course it’s nothing bad, it’s Ryan! I just– I’m curious!”

“So am I, and you don’t hear me giving our kid the third degree” – she sighed.

“I guess I’m just anxious. I’ve never not had a job or something to occupy my time!”

“You have got to be the only person in the world who could possibly be bummed over that” – Seth pointed out – “Why don’t you go back to school or something then?”

“Excuse me?” – Kirsten looked shocked and Sandy puzzled.

“If you can’t find something you want to work with, you know”

“Oh. Oh, I hadn’t even considered– Ooh, that’s such a good idea!” – she opened a wide smile and gave Seth a suffocating, if mercifully brief hug and swept away from the kitchen.

“Was that a mistake?” – Seth asked his dad after a moment – “It feels like a mistake”

“Well, if it makes your mom happy, it’s not”

“So it’s wait and see?”

“What you gonna do, kid?”

“Tell her not to overdo it?” – Sandy snorted.

“I’ll try, that’s all I got”

“Sold”

 

“Oh, by the way” – Seth whispered to Ryan as they put the dishes in the dishwasher after dinner.

“Yeah?”

“Just a heads up, mom is this close from breaking into the pool house to check out what you’ve been doing in there”

“Is she really?”

“Well, no, mom’s classy, she’d have dad do it, but anyway, I’ve managed to make her focus on something else–”

“Does this have anything to do with her talking about online classes and community college?”

“Yes it does, thank me for it”

“... Thank you”

“So, hum, maybe keep that in mind”

“You just want to see what I’ve been doing”

“I never–!”

“You don’t fool me”

“Oh, you wound me, sir!”

“Please stop. Are we going to the movies? We should hurry”

“Damnit, yeah, yeah, let’s finish this or Luke’s gonna try to move in on our girls”

“Excuse me? Our girls?”

“Whatever, c’mon, c’mon”


	36. Wings of hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sandy and Kirsten and a moment in time

“Oh no” – Seth stated sardonically into his bagel, and Sandy groaned.

“Stop it” – Ryan beat him to it.

“But–”

“Be nice” – Sandy reproached.

“Fine, whatever”

Kirsten was excitedly listing a number of online schools and community colleges close–by, and what courses they offered, and asking them for their opinion (but not really, because she quickly went from course to course, almost as if speaking to herself).

It was adorable and Sandy wanted to squeeze the life out of her, he adored her so much.

“–you think?” – she looked at them expectantly.

“They all sound amazing, honey!” – Sandy moved over to embrace and kiss her, fully ignoring Seth’s gagging sounds and Ryan quiet chuckle – “So you’re not happy about having taken over Newport’s development business, now you’re looking for more areas to crush?”

“Hulk Smash” – Seth said under his breath, and Ryan elbowed him into silence.

“Ooh, but I don’t know which courses to pick! How do I choose?!” – she fretted, and Sandy wanted to coo at her, because she sounded so unlike the intense and focused Kirsten all those years ago.

“You will choose something you’re interested in, and if you don’t like it, you’ll drop it. Regardless, you will do so well it will be embarrassing for everyone else in your class”

“Don’t be silly, Sandy”

“Why, ma’am, I am never silly!”

Seth started to mumble something but instead yelped. Looking at the teens, the brunet was pouting and massaging his arm, and the blond was grinning sweetly.

“How about cooking?” – Sandy proposed.

“Ooh...! But I wouldn’t need to go to community college, I’m sure there are other places for cooking lessons...” – Kirsten started saying, almost to herself. She looked over at Ryan and hummed for a moment before turning back to Sandy.

“Really mom, cooking?” – Seth whined – “Don’t you still have scars from the last time you came anywhere near trying to cook?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, son, and I would appreciate it if you would kindly grab me some juice. Please” – she added, and Seth said something under his breath as he nonetheless practically crawled over to the fridge to do as told.

“Here, sire” – the boy grumbled and Kirsten pinched his cheek, making him cry out in surprise – “Mom! C’mon, not the cheek!” – he rushed to hide behind Ryan, holding his face as if he had been punched.

“You’re just so cute sometimes”

“You are evil, and I do not like it. Ryan, Ry, we should leave before she starts with the mama bear hugs, and while they can be nice when you’re sick and all, they are not good when you want to continue breathing. So... C’mon, let’s go grab something to eat”

“It’s eight in the morning!” – Sandy exclaimed amusedly as Seth pulled at a sighing Ryan, and a couple of moments later, the door slammed behind them – “We’ve raised such a dramatic kid” – he commented to his wife, who shrugged and drank some juice.

“So, will you also try to tell me not to take cooking lessons?” – he smiled playfully and put his hands on her waist.

“Only for your continued health, dear wife, but I’m sure you’ll be able to make it work somehow. Besides, I’m sure Ryan would appreciate having someone else that can cook around here, you know I can pretty much only grill”

“And you grill so beautifully, but yes, I’m sure he’d like it”

“Even if he’s too nice to say anything about it”

“Well, obviously, it’s Ryan”

“Of course. Hmm...”

“What is it?”

“Are you really going to start cooking now, hun?”

“Sandy...”

“What! I like you having fingers and not being horribly burned!” – she rolled her eyes.

“I’m sure that will be in the first lesson” – her tone was bland and all too close to Seth’s when he was being particularly sarcastic – “Cooking 101 – Don’t maim yourself and others”

“If it’s not, it certainly should be”

“Maybe something a little more hands on as well... Pottery, maybe?”

“Sure, sure, whatever you feel like it” – he smiled and kissed her gently – “Just maybe don’t go off to Law School, I rather like being the only lawyer in the house” – she snickered and kissed him back.

“I promise I will allow you to be the only one with a Law degree in the house. Well, for now anyway, who knows what the boys’ major is going to be”

“God, can you imagine SETH as a lawyer?” – they paused and shivered.

“I love that boy, but, oh no”

“I second that”

“And I doubt Ryan would be interested in that”

“I don’t know, I can sense a fellow do–gooder”

“Please don’t go encouraging that” – he gasped.

“You don’t want another Sandy Cohen in the world?!”

“Sandy”

“What?”

“I think I’m going to start looking for cooking classes”

“You do that. But remember–”

“Yes, Sandy, I know. Cooking 101”

“Exactly. And I’m sure the boys would agree wholeheartedly with me that you are all the more beautiful with your eyebrows intact and no burns to be seen”

“So you’ll love me less if I burn myself?”

“Hmm... Let me think” – she looked flatly at him, and he couldn’t help but chuckle and kiss her again.


	37. Pleasantville

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan, Sandy and the Cohen Craft

All seemed fine after Thanksgiving, after Hailey– After Hailey left Newport to shores unknown (Seth commented that she took off one night without telling anyone where she was going, as per usual; if Caleb knew, he certainly hadn’t told anyone else), things settled, and before Ryan could even think about it much, Christmas was upon them all.

In the pool house, his presents stared back at him innocently, and his stomach flipped at the thought of giving them to his family and friends.

Anna was going away to Pittsburgh for the Holidays, much to Seth’s annoyance, and they had all gotten together the day before she left, Seth pouting and whining, clinging to her (Ryan quietly thought she was something of a saint to accept it so coolly, because even Kirsten sent her son looks whenever she passed by the living room), Lindsay and Luke arguing about which movies they were going to watch (Seth was to occupied moaning about Anna leaving to interfere, and after Lindsay made a surprising wide gesture and nearly slapped Ryan’s eye out, the blond decided it was best to leave the discussion to them, passionate as they suddenly were).

“Hey, kiddo” – Sandy greeted when Ryan escaped to the kitchen for a moment – “Can I offer you kids some Sandy Cohen sandwiches?”

“Yeah, sure, thank you” – he looked back and grimaced at the way his friends were still trying to discuss the matter of the movies they were to watch; it had been something like fifteen minutes, and he didn’t know how Luke and Lindsay could possibly keep at it for so long.

“The kids sure are getting at it, huh?” – Sandy mused, quickly getting some plates together.

“I think Seth may have rubbed off on Lindsay”

“We Cohens do that, you’ll see, I will have one of you be the next Sandy Cohen, mark my words”

“I think Anna is your girl, if anyone here is”

“Too right” – Sandy grinned playfully as he pointed a leaf of lettuce at Ryan – “My son has been very wise in his choice” – he stated solemnly.

“.... Yeah”

“Sorry, I’ve been reading some of Kirsten’s books”

“Ah”

“Does anyone object to mustard?!” – he shouted, and received several ‘no’s back – “You want some spicy mustard in yours?”

“Yes, thank you”

“So, about Christmas”

“Yes?” – Sandy looked up from his tomatoes for a moment.

“Look, I know that after Thanksgiving no one is exactly... Dying to have Caleb around, so... Are you okay with him coming over?”

“... It’s the Holidays” – Ryan answered after a beat – “It’s his right to... Want to see his family”

“Right. Well, between you and me? If you don’t want him to come over, we’ll figure something out, we’ll– Make excuses, whatever, but it’ll be okay, you don’t have to worry about it at all”

“I... I don’t mind it”

“You sure?”

“Yes. I, ah, I already got him something” – that made Sandy raise his caterpillar eyebrows.

“Really? Not an ugly tie, I hope, ‘cause that’s kind of my thing. I’ll show you the one I got this time, it’s a thing of beauty, bright red, with orange and light blue stripes, and gold and silver dots, it’s the ugliest thing I have ever seen, and I couldn’t be prouder of my find. Oh, and it’s silk, so he can’t even say it’s a cheap gift” – that made Ryan smile a little.

“Do you always get him ugly ties?” – Sandy snorted and started pouring mustard on the sandwiches.

“No, sometimes I get ‘im ugly sweaters. Oh, and one very special year, I managed to get the most hideous cufflinks known to man, and the very best part of it is that Seth was really little at the time, and he made Caleb put them on. I have photographic proof, it’s one of my most cherished memories involving Cal”

“I look forwarding to seeing them”

“Oh, I know you’ll get a kick out of them. I actually take a picture every year of Cal’s face when he opens my present, maybe I’ll make a scrapbook for him sometime, I should have enough by now” – Sandy’s smirk was only this side of mischievous, and Ryan couldn’t help but swell with fondness for him.

He looked on as Sandy continued doing the sandwiches for a little while. There was something soothing in it, in watching Sandy’s experienced hands working so diligently on the ‘Cohen Craft’, as Sandy called it once.

“Ah! I’m gonna need your opinion later”

“On?”

“Kirsten’s present. I mean, I usually go with a SPA day, or a book or something, but this year, well, this year I got her something I think she’s going to love”

“Oh”

“I’ll show it to you later, but you have to promise to keep it to yourself, that woman is very sneaky when she thinks she can find out what she’s going to get before present time. Do not give into her baby blues, they lie”

“I promise I won’t bend to her– Er...”

“I will hold you to that, sir. And, voilà!” – he presented the sandwiches with a wide smile – “Don’t tell them” – he whispered – “but yours is extra special” – he winked teasingly and Ryan grinned back.

“Thanks”

“Any time. KIDS!” – he cried out – “Come get it or I’m giving it away!”

Ryan only barely managed to hold his own plate before the other teens rushes over to grab their food. Seth and Luke, in particular, bickered over the biggest one, though Ryan thought his really was a smidge bigger than all of them all. Sandy winked at him again as he wiggled his eyebrows, and after a moment, the lawyer used his Dad Voice to stop all fighting over food at once.

“Dad wasn’t trying to recruit you to go and pick out a tree, was he?” – Seth demanded, sounding all too serious once they’d settled in the living room with the sandwiches and sodas.

“No, nothing like that”

“Good, because he knows that choosing a tree is very important to me, and he better not be stepping into my lane”

“Why do you sound like that?” – Luke snorted.

“Do not make me shove root beer down your throat”

“That’s gross, shut up”

“You shut up”

“Both of you shut up” – Ryan piped up good naturedly.

“I second that. So, what’re we watching?” – Anna asked.

“The classic, of course. Predator” – Lindsay stated, rolling her eyes – “I lost the toss” – she confessed, getting up to put the DVD in the player.

“You’re gonna make us watch that French thing”

“Do not diss Amèlie” – the red head retorted at Luke, who grinned into his sandwich, making her gag.

“Whatever. Now let’s get Schwarzenegger–ed!”

“I would fight you on it, but Predator is a flawless choice” – Seth commented, snuggling between Ryan and Anna.

“Stop touching me” – Ryan complained a little.

“I’m not–! There’s no space! Luke’s too big!” – said large teen snorted – “Shut up!” – and now Seth was blushing furiously as everyone laughed at him.

“Alright, alright, I’ll move. ‘m big and all” – Luke teased with a smirk, hopping onto the lone armchair.

“You suck”

“You wish” – Luke said after a suddenly awkward beat.

“I–! I–! RYAN! Defend my honor!”

“Excuse me?”

“Punch him in the face! Make him stop~!”

It was a good thing Seth and Sandy had already made Ryan watch it the one time, because the first few minutes of the movie were drowned out by Luke and Seth’s bickering, Anna’s practically audible eye rolls and Lindsay’s quiet bites.

“Is your sandwich bigger?” – she whispered, with an amused grin.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about” – Ryan retorted, and dug right into it.


	38. Dropped down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kirsten, Ryan and shopping (with Reds)

Kirsten poured over her books as Sandy snickered in the background. Ryan, making dinner with an only slightly reluctant Seth, smiled briefly at her when she looked their way, though the other teen gave her a long suffering look that she had to hide a laugh over as she returned to her books.

“So honey, any idea of what you want to study?” – Sandy questioned, looking away from the television.

“Ooh, no, I don’t know! Cooking? Designing? Painting? Sculpting? Pottery?!”

“Why not all of them?” – Seth asked, rather flippantly.

“I hardly have the time to take so many classes! Besides, I don’t think I would be able to focus on more than one, maybe two things at a time”

“Fair enough. I mean, my vote goes to painting, but that’s just me”

“Why painting?”

“I don’t know, seems like your thing” – Kirsten frowned at her art book.

“I’m not sure...”

“What was your major in college?” – Ryan suddenly asked.

“Business” – she replied absently – “And a minor in architecture, so... Nothing too useful for my life after the Newport Group, unfortunately”

“Oh, that’s hardly true, hun!” – Sandy wailed – “It just means you now have the opportunity to spread your wings, maybe get your hands dirty! You would look awfully cute–”

“Hey! Virgin ears here!” – Seth protested, and Sandy snickered.

“Sorry, son, your parents are too in love for you, I understand, it’s gotta be rough” – he deadpanned, making Ryan chuckle into the tomato sauce at Seth’s louder complaints.

“Boys” – Kirsten chirped, and soon enough, both brunets were quiet.

For a moment.

“Oh~ My~ Love, my darling~” – Sandy sang under his breath.

“Dad–!” – Seth cried out as Kirsten couldn’t keep her giggles inside anymore.

 

“Thank you for coming with me” – Kirsten told Ryan, who shrugged a little beside her.

“It’s okay” – he answered softly.

“I was so busy thinking about my classes that I barely remembered it’s Christmas! Or Chrismukkah, I suppose”

“Really not an issue”

“Do you think Sandy would like a new juicer?”

“Don’t you already have one?”

“Yes. And a grill, and a toaster, and even a bagel slicer! Maybe a lifetime supply of bagels?” – that brought a smile to Ryan’s serious countenance.

“He would be happy about that one”

“He would, wouldn’t he? Hm... Maybe a new bag? Or a wallet... Although he loves this cheap, faux leather one he insists on carrying” – she hummed as she stared at several real leather products on display.

“Maybe a CD?”

“A CD?” – she questioned interestedly. The boy blinked, as if surprised at his own mumble.

“I... He likes music”

“Oh my God, yes. And musicals! Ooh, what do you think? Tickets to a musical!”

“Er, I guess he’d like that”

“We can all go! Well, I’m not sure Seth would like to come with, he’s not interested in musicals, much to Sandy’s disappointment, as I’m sure you can guess, but maybe we could get your friends to come along... We can make a whole day of it in Los Angeles! Have you– Have you ever been?” – she suddenly ended. Ryan gave her a tight smile.

“No, I haven’t really been anywhere, really, just... Chino and Newport”

“Oh. Well, we should definitely go then! I would say we should go to New York and watch all the plays and musicals, but this one time we went cross country, Seth tried to jump ship and stay there” – they shared an amused grin.

“I’m sure Sandy would love to watch a musical” – Ryan commented with a hint of easiness.

“He would. Well, I still have the number of a lady who can get us prime seats, so I’ll give her a call later. Now... Seth” – she sighed – “He is so difficult to shop for” – she moaned.

“I’m sure he’ll like anything you get him”

“That’s nice of you to say, but he’s the same kid who told me I bought him the wrong comic book when he was eight. Trust me, if he doesn’t like something, he’ll tell you, and then guilt you into getting him another gift”

“Oh” – Ryan said, almost to himself.

“I wonder... I think he may like some art supplies...” – she smirked – “He thinks Sandy and I don’t know about the small supply store he keeps in his bedroom”

“He does have a lot of stuff” – he conceded.

“I’m sure he could use some more, though. Oh, by the way, I was thinking of getting something for Anna, Lindsay and Luke, will you help me?” – Ryan blinked.

“Sure?”

“I know Anna is a sweet girl and she’s not one for material things, so I have no idea whatsoever to get her. Lindsay is much easier, I know she loves classical music so I think I’m going to get her a bunch of CDs. Do you think she’ll like that?”

“Yeah, I’m sure she will”

“And Luke...” – she paused – “That boy–” she shook her head fondly.

“You can also give him a lifetime supply of literally any junk food and he’ll love you forever” – Ryan retorted dryly.

“He does like his junk food. Oh hey, is that Lindsay?”

Sure enough, it was. She was accompanying her mother, Renee Wheeler, Kirsten believed, and they were both holding a couple of shopping bags each.

“Do you want to go over and say ‘hello’?” – Kirsten offered, and Ryan hesitated then shrugged.

“I wouldn’t want to intrude” – he answered slowly.

“I’m sure Lindsay wouldn’t mind” – she tried again.

“No, I don’t think–” – he closed his mouth with a click when the girl in question spotted them and opened a wide, honest and happy smile and waved animatedly. Her mother looked confused for a moment before she noticed who her daughter was greeting. Kirsten put a gentle, hopefully encouraging hand on Ryan’s shoulder and with a sharp nod at her, they started moving along to the red heads.

“Ryan!” – Lindsay eagerly exclaimed, moving over to him almost unconsciously. It made Kirsten think back to how she was when she had first started dating Sandy, and it made her feel warm that her brother had someone who felt so strongly for him, because if anyone deserved it, it was him, and Lindsay really was a lovely girl. The teens quickly started talking and laughing, ignoring the adults after the boy quickly but politely greeted Renee. Kirsten and Renee looked at one another awkwardly for a few seconds.

“Hi. Renee, right?” – Kirsten greeted, offering a hand that was easily and firmly taken and shaken.

“That’s right. And it’s Kristen?”

“Kirsten”

“I’m sorry”

“Don’t even mention it” – they shot their kids a brief look – “Christmas shopping?”

“Yes, I’m afraid I’m a bit of a workaholic and haven’t managed to bring Lindsay sooner” – she rolled her eyes amusedly – “She almost dragged me out the door this morning”

“You’re telling me! Although I had to drag Ryan, actually”

“Haven’t had much luck?” – she glanced at Kirsten’s rather empty hands, apart from her purse.

“Not yet, but we haven’t been looking long”

“I know what you mean, we’ve been going around in circles all over this mall, I can barely feel my feet anymore”

“Mom!” – Lindsay cried, flushing as she clearly tried not to look at Kirsten.

“What? It’s true” – Renee teased.

“I– No it’s not!” – her pretty face turned redder when a chuckle escaped Ryan, though when she snapped her head at him, he was perfectly serious.

“You know what? Why don’t we get together? Or are you finished?” – Kirsten questioned. Mother and daughter traded quick looks and had a whole wordless conversation.

“We wouldn’t want to intrude” – Lindsay demurred, and Kirsten nearly giggled at the way Ryan shifted in place.

“You won’t” – Kirsten assured the girl, who visibly blossomed in glee. Renee smiled in thanks at Kirsten and after a few moments of awkwardness, the group started moving along, the teens in the front, Lindsay enthusiastic and chatty, and Ryan indulgent and patient. Kirsten and Renee silently stayed several steps behind them.

“He’s good with her” – the red head commented softly.

“She’s good with him” – the blonde had to reply as Lindsay so casually made the boy laugh.

“I’ve been meaning to introduce myself, but, like I said. Workaholic and all” – Renee stated, and Kirsten could see in the truth in her tense shoulders.

“I fully understand, I’ve recently quit my job, but before that, I was on the same long hours boat”

“It’s just– I mean” – she looked at the teens before turning back to Kirsten – “Your family opened your house up to my daughter, and you’ve been so kind to her–”

“Oh, but Lindsay is such a sweet girl! We all love her, really” – Renee smiled.

“Well, she’s my kid, so I can’t refute that at all, but, I just– She’s always been shy, she’s never had a lot of friends, and now she has a bunch of them, although I think it’s pretty obvious which one she likes the most” – they didn’t even bother looking ahead, with Lindsay pointing at something across the way and Ryan nodded along – “And... We don’t really do Holidays much, I don’t have much in the way of family, and Lindsay’s dad’s not really in the picture, and although I... I, er, I understand Thanksgiving was a little... Rocky” – she winced but Kirsten only looked on encouragingly – “But Lindsay was so excited about having a real Thanksgiving”

“At home we have a kind of open door policy, and, well, yes, Thanksgiving was a mess, and I’m so sorry we exposed Lindsay to that, it was– It was not pleasant in the least–”

“No, no–”

“However” – Kirsten continued on, knowing that Renee was too polite to blame her in the least for Lindsay having to witness the Nichol family horror show – “I’m glad she liked it, as much as she could possibly have enjoyed herself”

“She said the food was delicious” – Renee offered generously.

“Yeah, if there’s one thing you can count on is that my dad will always have good food in the house, whatever the circumstances” – Kirsten frowned minutely then opened a grin – “If I can be a little bit forward...”

“Go on ahead” – Renee allowed.

“What are you two doing for the Holidays? I’m not sure if Ryan got around to inviting Lindsay to come over...”

“I think he did... But don’t worry about me, really, I’ll probably be working anyway”

“No, no, I insist! We would all love to have you over. I’m sure Lindsay would like it too” – Kirsten added rather slyly, making Renee snicker.

“Twist my arm, why don’t you. Well. I mean” – she sighed long suffering – “Sure, why not. What should we bring?”

“Just yourselves, or maybe some wine for the adults”

“Alright” – Renee looked Kirsten over – “You really don’t need to take us on, you know” – she tried again.

“Do you not want to–?”

“I don’t actually mind either way, but if it’ll make Lindsay happy...”

“I promise my husband and I are not totally crazy, Thanksgiving notwithstanding” – that made Renee’s lips twitch.

“I suppose it wouldn’t be terrible to finally see where my daughter has been spending so much of her time these days” – they shared a pleasant grin.

“Unfortunately Anna, my son’s boyfriend, is in Pittsburgh with her family, but... Do you know about Luke?”

“Luke. Big lab of a boy?” – Renee guessed dryly.

“That’s him. Well, he’s having, hum, he’s having a situation with his family, nothing... Bad, but he’s going to spend Chrismukkah and New Year’s with us”

“Chrismukkah?”

“My son made it up when he was a kid, it’s Christmas and Hanukkah together, the best of both worlds, or so he’s always said”

“Ah. Well, I’ve met Anna a couple of times, the girls are very good friends now, but I would certainly love to meet Luke and Seth”

“I’m glad. I mean, I love the kids, they’re all really sweet, but I think I need some adult company every now and then. Just don’t tell Sandy, he’ll be upset with me”

“Your secret is safe with me”

“Mom!” – Lindsay called out – “Come look what we found!”

“We are being summoned” – Kirsten stated flatly.

“I guess we should go before they rebel, I know my kid”

“And I know mine, he’s too nice for that. Seth on the other hand...”

“Cannot wait to meet him, then”


	39. Yes man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sandy, family and Chrismukkah

Sandy had to smile at the collection of characters in his living room.

“What’re you looking at?” – Kirsten whispered in his ear, putting her chin on his shoulder, eyes twinkling in good humor.

“A Chrismukkah miracle” – he replied softly, taking a moment to enjoy her closeness – “Where did those antlers come from anyway?” – he motioned to Luke, wearing pretty cute antlers, as if nothing was amiss.

“I think he brought them”

“Hm. Well, I guess not everyone can make a yamaclaus work” – he teased, pointedly arranging the one sitting on his head – “Gotta say, Lindsay really got the spirit of Chrismukkah down”

“There was a time I would have doubted Seth’s ability to rub Chrismukkah onto people, but I think there’s no denying it now” – Kirsten mused.

“So, how many pictures have you taken of them?” – Sandy asked, not even having to look to know her camera was practically glued to her hand.

“Just a few” – she protested weakly.

“Would the kids think it’s ‘just a few’?”

“Maybe not, but I can’t help myself!”

“Yes, honey, we all know it, just, you know, maybe not as many candids, or Seth is gonna take that camera by any means and drop it in the pool”

“He would not!”

“Oh, he would, I know my kid”

“Don’t go putting ideas in his head! I need my pictures!”

“Sure, sure” – Renee Wheeler came from a corner, and Sandy had to smile at the clear love in her eyes as she watched her daughter fool around with the other teens.

“Hey!” – Kirsten greeted, straightening up – “Want another glass of wine? Juice? Virgin eggnog?” – Renee laughed good naturedly.

“I think I’ll take some eggnog right now, God knows Lindsay is going to yell at me if she sees me getting another glass of wine”

“Oh?”

“She is very conscientious about this kind of thing”

“Ah. Well, come along to the adult area” – Sandy gallantly invited, and the two moved to the kitchen as Kirsten blatantly ignored him as she moved around, putting her camera to use again – “So, Renee”

“Yes?”

“What do you think of our little Holiday?” – the red head shrugged delicately as she accepted her drink.

“Name and yamaclaus– Yamaclauses? Oh dear. All of that aside, it’s just like a normal Christmas party. I mean, with a lot less yelling, if I recall my own family reunions accurately”

“Yeah, I think we can go with yamaclauses, we should Seth what he thinks, he’ll have IDEAS about it. But hey, after the way Thanksgiving went, I think we all deserve some nice, peaceful Chrismukkah”

“Cheers to that” – Sandy and Renee clinked glasses and stayed in silence for a while.

“FATHER!” – Seth screamed over a complaining Kirsten, and Sandy rushed to see what was happening – “Will you stop your wife?! Enough of pictures! Enough, I say!” – he stomped his foot, but with a yamaclaus on his head, and a widely grinning Santa Claus on his chest, it was difficult not to see his age despite his appearance otherwise.

“No~ I need more~!” – Kirsten cried as she ran over to Sandy, holding the camera to her chest. Around Seth, the other teens were ignoring the ruckus and speaking as if nothing was amiss.

“Kirsten, I told you he wasn’t gonna have it anymore” – Sandy tried to sound stern, but given the way Renee’s lips twitched madly, he didn’t think he was succeeding – “And Seth, c’mon, can’t you give your mom this one?”

“One? ONE? You check her pockets, she’s got to have at least one memory card in there, if not two, from the way she’s going” – Kirsten suddenly looked guilty and Sandy nearly lost it.

“Well, yes, alright, maybe... You know, but it’s just pictures, and she’s not gonna show ‘em to people” – he looked at his quiet wife – “Right, honey?” – he pressed.

“Yes, yes. I mean, I did promise Anna I would–”

“Mom!”

“What? If she were here, she’d be seeing– You know. All of this, so what’s the problem?”

“What’s the–! I cannot believe what’s I’m hearing! This is a–!”

Sandy rolled his eyes as mother and son continued squabbling as he went to get the door. As expected, it was Caleb, holding shopping bags and wearing a scowl (though it wasn’t as severe as every other day of the year, or so Sandy thought).

“What is that on your head?” – the sour man demanded, raising his eyebrows and shutting the door behind him.

“Hello, Cal, welcome, Happy Chrismukkah. And this is a yamaclaus, want one? Lindsay made a bunch”

“No, thank you, I think it’s pretty clear but I’m not Jewish”

“It took a while, but yeah, eventually I did manage to notice” – Caleb ignored him as he surveyed the living room.

“This is cozy” – he commented, and everyone turned to look at him – “Hello, Merry– Happy Chrismukkah” – he corrected with nary an eye roll.

“Yamaclaus?” – Seth offered after a beat.

“No, thank you” – Caleb’s eyes flickered to each head, as if counting the yamaclauses. He stopped on Renee and frowned – “Ms. Wheeler?”

“Mr. Nichol. Happy Chrismukkah” – she greeted back politely.

“Yes... Right. I wasn’t aware you would be here...” – he motioned to his bags.

“She didn’t have any plans, so we thought she’d enjoy Chrismukkah with the Cohens” – Sandy butted in.

“Oh?”

“Lindsay’s hers”

“I see. Well, where should I leave these?” – he looked at the tree, filled with presents underneath it.

“Let me get those” – Kirsten proposed, and she managed a sincere smile to her father.

“Thank you, Kiki. Now, Sanford, are you going to offer me something to drink before dinner?”

“I think I still have some of that good whisky, how about it?”

“Sounds great” – he gave Kirsten a purposeful look before taking Caleb to the kitchen.

Now, what was a Chrismukkah without a little miracle and a little drama?


	40. Jinx, jinx

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seth, Chrismukkah and Caleb (being a dick)

Seth whined a little more as his mother made all the teens move over from the living room for dinner.

“Better move your butt or you’re not getting any dessert” – Kirsten threatened playfully.

“No dessert AND I’m not allowed to delete all the pictures you took? So uncool”

“We are the epitome of cool! You take that back” – Sandy chirped all too gleefully. Luke started having a cough attack from his spot in front of the pack, Lindsay giggled into his fist, and even Ryan’s shoulders were shaking ever so slightly.

Traitors, the lot of them.

“What’s for dessert?” – Caleb questioned, sitting near one end of the enlarged dining table.

“Blueberry and raspberry cheesecake, and a chocolate cake” – Kirsten paused as she sat at the head of the table closer to the man. Seth frowned minutely as he wondered if she was going to mention that Ryan had been the one to look for the recipes and slave over the kitchen, without accepting anyone’s assistance.

“Sounds delicious” – Renee commented, sounding just this side of confused when Kirsten didn’t continue talking.

“Oh, I’m sure it is” – the blonde said smoothly, smiling confidently.

“Is everyone ready?! Here comes the turkey!” – Sandy announced, sliding the enormous bird onto the island – “Oh God, can someone help me?” – he yelped at the weight. Luke jumped to help, and soon enough, they managed to get it to Sandy’s side of the table – “Thanks, Luke. Now, who wants dark meat and who wants white?” – he asked, smiling widely with a knife in hand.

“Careful with that now, dad, don’t want another incident” – Seth cautioned with a snicker.

“Why do I have to keep saying it? It was NOT an incident, it was an ACCIDENT” – Sandy complained with a huff even as he began carving.

“What happened?” – Lindsay chuckled a little and Seth cackled some.

“Dad almost lost a finger or two a couple of years ago on Thanksgiving, and we had to spend the rest of the day drinking crappy coffee and really funky sandwiches at the emergency room while he got stitched up”

“Yeah, that wasn’t the best Holiday ever” – Kirsten couldn’t help but comment.

“Honey! You’re supposed to be on my side~!”

“Sorry, sorry” – Sandy pouted for a moment.

“Maybe I should carve then” – Cal offered with not a hint of sarcasm or smirk, though Seth knew him enough to hear it in his flat tone anyway.

“Don’t you dare” – Sandy growled playfully – “I can do this, and I am not going to lose any fingers while doing it, so could everyone stop looking at me like someone should go and start the car to take me to the emergency room?” – he glared at each and every person around the table.

Sure enough, they HAD all been staring at his hands intently; Ryan in particular seemed almost anxious and twitchy at every stab Sandy took at the poo bird.

“Yeah, yeah, daddy–o, just for reals, we wanna eat today, so, while I don’t want you to bleed all over the cranberries ‘cause, ew, could you hurry it up? Let grandpa do it! He’s old, he’s had plenty of practice” – Seth could feel his grandfather’s heavy look.

“Yes, Sandy, I am ancient, I have millennia of experience with turkey carving all the way from the old country, let me try” – Cal mused coolly.

“Fine, I know when I’ve been outvoted” – he huffed and allowed for his father–in–law to take over. He sulked a little even as he put some mashed potatoes on his plate – “Can someone hand me the yams, please?”

Caleb quietly did a fair job cutting up the turkey, giving Kirsten and Ryan the first slices, then Seth and the rest of the guests and himself, with an annoyed Sandy having to contend with being the last one served. Nonetheless, it was pretty good, and Seth was weirded out with the realization that although Anna was so far away, he was surrounded by family and friends, and no one was drunk or screaming, and it was really nice. 

“Everything is amazing, Kirsten” – Renee complimented softly, smiling kindly.

“Oh, thank you, though I’m afraid it was Sandy who did most of the work”

“I had a little help from the boys before I lost them to the magic of the yamaclauses” – Sandy winked at Lindsay, who blushed a little.

“Are we calling them yamaclauses?” – Seth asked.

“So I have decreed it” – Sandy shot back.

“I guess it’s as good as any other plural. I don’t know how you managed to come up with them when I never did. And I invented Chrismukkah!”

“You’re just not very creative, Seth, sorry” – Lindsay replied.

“Hey now, I happen to be the author of several unpublished comics!”

“And you still didn’t invent the most obvious cross between Christmas and Hanukkah” – Luke snickered.

“... Fine, I can’t argue with that”

“Are you going to wear them all night?” – Caleb questioned with a slight frown.

“It is Chrismukkah, Cal” – Sandy chided lightly.

“You and Seth are the only Jewish people here” – he paused and looked intently at Renee.

“We’re kind of agnostic, if anything” – the elder red head answered the unasked question.

“Cal, everyone is Catholic and Jewish during Chrismukkah” – Sandy raised an eyebrow in defiance.

“Very well”

“Want a yamaclaus now?” – Seth piped up.

“That’s still a no” – he glanced briefly at Ryan’s golden locks, with a perched yamaclaus on top of them but said nothing.

The rest of the dinner was perfectly friendly on all fronts, from usually sour Cal, to shy Lindsay, to polite Renee, to reticent Ryan, to high spirited Luke, to gleeful Seth, to giddy Sandy all the way to peaceful Kirsten. All in all, it wasn’t as bad as Seth thought it could have been. Maybe if the Coopers had come and not gone wherever for the Holidays, or maybe, shiver, if Hailey had remained in town for Chrismukkah–

Anyway.

“This has been very pleasant, however I must be going. I have an early flight tomorrow” – Cal announced, getting up and nodding at everyone – “The presents are all labeled as usual, but, ah... Ryan, I have something for you” – the boy looked up at him in almost alarm, though Seth wondered if he could tell because he was beside him and thus able to see the stiffness of his neck.

“That’s really not necessary” – Ryan said with a cool and even voice.

“No, I believe it is. Come along now”

“Dad, wait–”

“Kiki, I believe I have the right to give my own son a Christmas present, do I not?”

“... Of course you do, dad, I just–”

“Then there’s no more to say. Come, Ryan, I have a party after this and I can’t be late, my driver will be over any moment now” – Ryan reluctantly got up and walked behind him.

“Your driver?” – Sandy mused, following the man even as he absently grabbed the bag of gifts he’d received from the family, with Seth and Kirsten behind him – “I thought you drove here”

Caleb said nothing more as he headed to the main entrance. He opened the door and, with a wide smile that didn’t seem natural or possible coming from him, he grandly motioned to the shiny, midnight blue Mustang sitting on the Cohen driveway.

“Holy crap” – Seth couldn’t help himself but gasp. Caleb slapped the frozen Ryan in the shoulder, still smiling oddly.

“Dad, this is– This is really too much” – Kirsten said with a forbidding frown. Sandy slid over to be closer to Ryan even as Caleb maneuvered him down the short way to the car.

“Nonsense! Who else can I trust to care for my car other than my son? No offense, Kiki, but you’ve never cared for my cars, and your sister–” – he cut himself off with a discreet cough – “And of course, Seth told me he thought this car was ugly”

“I was six!” – said teen protested weakly.

“Nevertheless, I figured my son would need a car, and why not something like this?”

“‘Cause it’s too much?” – Sandy added dryly.

“Spare me, Sanford. So, Ryan, what do you think? Hopefully you’ve inherited my appreciation for classic cars”

Ryan stood beside the car and Seth was almost glad he couldn’t see his face; something told him it was not something he wanted to see from his brother.

“It’s– It’s great, sir” – he at last managed, his voice firm and agreeable – “Thank you”

“Good! See, Kiki? I don’t know what you were so worried about! Maybe we could take a drive sometime when I have the time, what you say?”

“Of course, sir”

“If you need to know how to care for it, I’ve left my mechanic’s card with the registration and such, so give him a call”

“I will. Thank you” – Ryan’s voice started to sound a little less friendly and more... Stilted.

“Ah, here’s the driver now! Give everyone my best, but I must be off now. Merry Christmas, everyone” – he gave Ryan’s shoulder a final squeeze, Kirsten a quick kiss on the cheek, and just like that, Caleb Nichol disappeared into the night. Like a demon or something.

“Sweetie–” – Kirsten attempted softly, reaching out to Ryan.

“Should we get to dessert?” – he interrupted, turning around with a tight smile, his hands in his pockets almost defiantly.

They went inside. Seth turned to take a final look at the car.

It was nice. It was too much, but it was nice.

**Author's Note:**

> I am totally open to suggestions on what aspects of Ryan's new life to write about. =D


End file.
